Nokia to Launch Free Maps App with Offline Mode and Transit Directions for iOS

[MacRumors]

Nokia today announced an expansion of its mapping services, launching a new "HERE" brand for the products and announcing that it will be introducing a new iOS mapping app in the coming weeks.

"People want great maps, and with HERE we can bring together Nokia's location offering to deliver people a better way to explore, discover and share their world," said Nokia President and CEO Stephen Elop. "Additionally, with HERE we can extend our 20 years of location expertise to new devices and operating systems that reach beyond Nokia. As a result, we believe that more people benefit from and contribute to our leading mapping and location service."

To further extend its location services, Nokia is launching a maps application for iOS under the HERE brand. Based on HTML5, it will include offline capabilities, voice-guided walk navigation, and public transport directions. The application is scheduled to be available for free download from Apple's App Store in the coming weeks.

The initiative also includes a partnership with Mozilla for mapping in Firefox OS, a reference app for Android developers, acquisition of California company earthmine to help with 3D mapping, and new LiveSight 3D mapping technology.

The New York Times has more on why Nokia has chosen to open up its mapping platform even as it seeks to differentiate its Lumia smartphones in the market.

Stephen Elop, chief executive of Nokia, said in an interview that in order to ensure that its mapping platform stays competitive, it needs lots of users. The more people who look up directions or search for locations on its maps, the smarter the system gets. And Nokia can still build exclusive location features into its Lumia phones, he said.

"For the location platform to be at the highest quality, one needs scale, and you need as many different people contributing as possible," Mr. Elop said. "Of course, Nokia will build apps, some of them unique to Lumia devices, that gain a competitive advantage for Nokia."

Apple has been working to improve its in-house Maps app launched as part of iOS 6, following significant criticism of the app's features and accuracy. In an open letter addressing mapping issues, Apple CEO Tim Cook pointed to the web version of Nokia's maps as an alternative for users unhappy with the performance of Apple's own app.

Article Link: Nokia to Launch Free Maps App with Offline Mode and Transit Directions for iOS

[Small White Car]

More info on how Nokia has a ton of data coming in from their deal with UPS and FedEx.

http://m.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2012/10/nokias-army-drivers-are-secretly-making-awesome-maps/57568/

[BvizioN]

With an Off Line viewing option please.

[Dizzy11523]

Just got a Nokia 920. The maps on this thing are sweet.

[mazz0]

I've tried Nokia's maps before, they're worse than Apple's! I'm also not excited at the prospect of another HTML maps app, bring on native Google!

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Originally Posted by Dizzy11523

Just got a Nokia 920. The maps on this thing are sweet.

Really? Is the POI data any good? It's awful round here

[Dizzy11523]

This sucker can tell how fast I'm going in the car and knows the speed limit of the street!

[rei101]

Originally Posted by Dizzy11523

This sucker can tell how fast I'm going in the car and knows the speed limit of the street!

Damn it! Does it shows the "SLOW DOWN" message?

[mattopotamus]

Anything will be better than apple maps. I think it is about 1/10th of the time right for me =/......and I live in ATLANTA...a major city!

[Zudeo]

Originally Posted by Dizzy11523

This sucker can tell how fast I'm going in the car and knows the speed limit of the street!

Like Google Maps or.. a real GPS. I'm glad it has that feature though. I'm surprised Apple released a barebones maps app with iOS 6. Good to hear the 920 is treating you well though!

[vastoholic]

Originally Posted by Dizzy11523

This sucker can tell how fast I'm going in the car and knows the speed limit of the street!

So did my Navigon app. I could even set it to warn me vocally when I was over the speed limit by a certain amount.

[Heb 7:4]

Nokia maps are significantly better than apple's, but lacking the POI data that google has.

Already available as a web app (here in the UK at any rate).

m.maps.nokia.com

I've used it a few times over the last few weeks to see if I could get used to it (went back to 5.1.1 as apple maps sucked so much, but want to upgrade at some point!)

[Westside guy]

Huh. I know Nokia's been doing maps for a long time, but given the current climate at the company I assumed its mapping efforts would be for Windows phones only.

In this case, it's nice to be wrong! The more competition, the better.

[blahbrah]

Pretty good way to strike back at MS for making an HTC phone their flagship.

[rjohnstone]

Originally Posted by blahbrah

Pretty good way to strike back at MS for making an HTC phone their flagship.

???
The 8X is hardly their flagship phone. It is one of 5 models.
More U.S. carriers have the 8X variant because Nokia made an exclusivity deal for the 920 with AT&T.
That was Nokia's call, not Microsoft's.
The 920 is still the featured phone on MS website for WP 8 devices.

[MattJessop]

Whilst I'm not too keen on Nokia's visual style for their maps, they have a decent data set and offline maps is always good (if you're travelling in rural areas with little to no signal then it's an absolute god send.)

If nothing else, competition.

[Stella]

Nokia maps were great, so I'm looking forward to this.

Nokia Maps uses Navteq ( nokia owns Navteq ) which is also used by Navigon / Garmin so its a great data set.

Could be a great competitor to currently paid for navigation apps, especially if its free.

[Blakjack]

Originally Posted by Stella

Nokia maps were great, so I'm looking forward to this.

Nokia Maps uses Navteq ( nokia owns Navteq ) which is also used by Navigon / Garmin so its a great data set.

Could be a great competitor to currently paid for navigation apps, especially if its free.

Cool. ive seen Navteq cars riding around Tallahassee for a couple of weeks now. Nokia maps coming to iOS is great news considering all the good reviews Ive heard of them in the past.

[theBB]

Originally Posted by Stella

Nokia Maps uses Navteq ( nokia owns Navteq ) which is also used by Navigon / Garmin so its a great data set.

Funny. A week ago, I've used Navigon, which proudly announces its Navteq maps, and it told me to turn left into a one way street in the wrong direction.

[Stella]

Originally Posted by theBB

Funny. A week ago, I've used Navigon, which proudly announces its Navteq maps, and it told me to turn left into a one way street in the wrong direction.

I used Apple Maps and it told me to drive through some ones backyard...

The point is - no navigation tool is 100% correct so of course you'll get errors.

Over the weekend Navigon told me to do a left turn when it was impossible, I would expect a small amount of inaccuracies.

Navtech maps are high regarded to be one of the best mapping dataset around.

[BornAgainMac]

I think Street View is what I miss the most of Google Maps. With Google Maps out of the picture, I am more open to mapping products from other vendors including the hated Apple maps.

[Tangoftw]

"we can extend our 20 years of location expertise"

Don't remember a nokia phone back in 1992 that had maps
Nokia + Microsoft = Fail


Use tango on your iPhones and keep your unlimited plans

[madmaxmedia]

Word is they hired Scott Forstall to lead their new mapping efforts-

[brownpaw]

Originally Posted by Tangoftw

"we can extend our 20 years of location expertise"

Don't remember a nokia phone back in 1992 that had maps

Nokia owns NAVTEQ, bro.

[brdeveloper]

Originally Posted by BornAgainMac

I think Street View is what I miss the most of Google Maps. With Google Maps out of the picture, I am more open to mapping products from other vendors including the hated Apple maps.

StreetView is almost useless in a cell phone. It takes a lot of bandwidth and you can't really use it when mobile (under 3G connection).

Last year in my vacations I downloaded the whole map of Uruguay in my old Nokia N8 (it isn't a big country, but the package had around 80MB). Nokia Maps helped a lot finding directions and interest points/hotels/restaurants. It even had 3D models of the main touristic buildings. Streetview is nice in a big screen like in a desktop monitor but it's just a toy-feature in a smartphone.

I hope Nokia brings such an app for Android because Google's one isn't really good offline as Nokia Maps.

[CShort]

Originally Posted by BornAgainMac

I think Street View is what I miss the most of Google Maps. With Google Maps out of the picture, I am more open to mapping products from other vendors including the hated Apple maps.

Nokia Maps has a certain percentage of street view. More coverage is coming. I think if you use here.net and see a little man in the bottom corner you can use street view.

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Originally Posted by MacinDoc

A bit surprising, IMO, considering the fact that Nokia will lose some of the advantage its phones could have over the iPhone by making this available for the iPhone. What's next, FaceTime, iCloud and Siri for Android, all supplied by Apple?

Nice to have the maps available even when offline.

I think I will check this out when more details become available.

The iOS version doesn't have voice guided drive navigation or augmented reality maps, or a full set of offline maps for a country. The Nokia Windows Phone version will always get the best features.

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Originally Posted by theBB

Funny. A week ago, I've used Navigon, which proudly announces its Navteq maps, and it told me to turn left into a one way street in the wrong direction.

I'm not saying it's perfect but you have to buy map updates for Navigon. Perhaps your map data is out of date.