Windows Phone 8 Native Mapping and Turn by Turn Directions?

[ImmortalWarrior]

So I was thinking about this last night when I was chilling in bed with my phone reading wp news, and I realized that I haven't seen any information about the native mapping applications in WP8.

I know Microsoft had said that Nokia's system would become the native mapping application but the only thing they have shown is what we have already on the Lumia Phones. Everything they have shown about Nokia Drive, Nokia Maps, City Lens etc is pretty much old hat for us Lumia users (with a few new features of course).

Microsoft had said that the default apps would become Nokia's system so I'm starting to believe that their big showing of WP8 will include the new "bing maps" equivalent. An all in one, integrated, mapping solution built upon the merging of Bing and Nokia services. With top of its class Turn by Turn from Nokia and ALL of the features of the Nokia range of mapping applications built into what we currently call bing maps in WP7.x.

I was kind of disappointed when Nokia was showing the new Lumia line and they only showed the same mapping applications we currently have. There has got to be more to what WP8 will offer. They told us that these Nokia services would become available to all OEM phones with the release of WP8 and, in my opinion, this is how they are going to do it.

What do you guys think? Am I too hopeful or do the hints from past announcements stack up?

 

[andrelamont]

I am expecting big things from the WP8 mapping software. I have to believe that it will have turn-by-turn navigation w/VOICE!

From the reports I believe that nokia's mapping technology will be the engine behind WP8 so it will have a WP8 look versus the standards nokia maps look.

see maps.bing.com versus maps.nokia.com

I say this b/c I could hardly believe that Samsung/HTC would be okay with NOKIA blasted across the default WP8 interface.

 

[power5]

Nokia maps is terrible in 3d compared to bing bird's eye.

Edit: Though I guess bird's eye is not truely 3D. Just stitched together images from different angels to give the illusion. Still Nokia's looks like crumpled up paper even in their select 3D cities.

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

Yeah, I'm really hoping to see lane assist and 3d landmarks in the built in software. I imagine it will have the Bing color scheme but will essentially be Nokia Drive. I envision myself using Tellme to ask the phone for directions to a contact's address and having the phone open it's native mapping.

Currently, you can't deep link into Nokia Drive for this. If I want to go to a contact's address I have to type it in manually into the app.

 

[dkp23]

nokia drive is pretty bad right now, hopefully new maps for wp8 will be equivalent to what i can get on my 5 year old garmin.

drive doesn't even have the street names to turn or exit off freeway sometimes, it will just say make a right in 5 miles...it doesnt show north or south when going on freeways.

Much left to be desired.

 

[andrelamont]

Glad u guys commented as I fired up Nokia Drive again this morning trying to compare it w/my garmin device.

Yeah, I'm really hoping to see lane assist and 3d landmarks in the built in software.

This is a must have feature for the 'where' company to implement. Since I've gotten used to lane assist its hard for me to give up the ole garmin

Other things I noticed (besides the UI...ugh..)

• Recently used address
• Home button ( quick link to ur home addresss)
• Speed / distance report ( fastest speed and etc )
• Voice street names

I will pay more attention to the software on my drive home

 

[andrelamont]

Forgot to add (unless I am susing it wrong ) Nokia Drive doesn't have live traffic information

This level of information is missing also...notice how clear and upfront state routes and highways are shown before you get to the highway/route

A good thing Nokia Drive does have is the ability to download entire US states individually, this way gives you more flexibility versus downloading city by city.

 

[aubreyq]

Glad u guys commented as I fired up Nokia Drive again this morning trying to compare it w/my garmin device.


This is a must have feature for the 'where' company to implement. Since I've gotten used to lane assist its hard for me to give up the ole garmin

Other things I noticed (besides the UI...ugh..)

• Recently used address
• Home button ( quick link to ur home addresss)
• Speed / distance report ( fastest speed and etc )
• Voice street names

I will pay more attention to the software on my drive home

I'm also happy with my Garmin car GPS so the whole maps-on-phone thing is something I probably won't use.