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!

----------

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!

[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.

[Sensa]

think back to last week's PR spin from google saying they didn't think their map app would be approved and this announcement by Noika.

Google suckered the majority of you into negatively commenting on apple's policies and practices when in reality they were really trying to cover up for the fact that they had months to prepare a new maps app for IOS and couldn't be bothered to devote adequate resources to it and/or wanted to see Apple squirm.

Please try to remember this lesson for the future and learn to be able to recognize blatant PR dirty tricks / bull crap when you see it.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[dv8r]

Dear Google,

When a main competitor makes an a** out of themselves - this is how you scramble...

[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.

[VulchR]

What's needed here is an app that searches all of the map databases (Apple's, Google, Nokia etc.) and plot the consensus position of POI's. Indeed, if mobile phone manufacturers were smart they would fund pre-competitive collaborations to combine map data into one database they all can use.

[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

[Consultant]

Competition against the google maps monopoly is good.

[madmaxmedia]

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

[b166er]

my only beef with maps on the 920 is that it doesn't speek the street names. It will say "get on the highway" or "take the exit" which is kind of a nice simulation to having a passenger navigate, but sometimes I need to know the street names and I can't be staring at the screen.

That being said, as far as accuracy and telling you to turn with enough time to actually react and not cause an accident- yeah maps on the 920 rule hard. As far as using them as a GPS I think the experience is nicer than google, although the data is probably not as accurate. POI's seem to be ok where I am.

[Supa_Fly]

Originally Posted by dv8r

Dear Google,

When a main competitor makes an a** out of themselves - this is how you scramble...

THIS is the company Apple should've dealt with in the first place. the pricing would've also been favorable as well.

Navteq has THE WORLDS BEST mapping solution bar none. and its been proven in 3 OS over the past 6years: S60, UIQ, and recently with Windows Phone 7/7.5/8. It even features breadcrumbs on E71/E66/N95/N97, etc etc ... something even Google Maps doesn't feature on any platform.

[Shrink]

Originally Posted by Sensa

think back to last week's PR spin from google saying they didn't think their map app would be approved and this announcement by Noika.

Google suckered the majority of you into negatively commenting on apple's policies and practices when in reality they were really trying to cover up for the fact that they had months to prepare a new maps app for IOS and couldn't be bothered to devote adequate resources to it and/or wanted to see Apple squirm.

Please try to remember this lesson for the future and learn to be able to recognize blatant PR dirty tricks / bull crap when you see it.

I'm so sorry for being a sucker, as you point out. Can you forgive me? Please!!

I feel well and properly chastised by your gentle and well intended post. I know you are just trying to help us stupid suckers. You have taken some of your time to help us suckers.Thank you, thank you.

I'll try not to be sucked in by those subtle PR tricks identifiable only by you, oh perspicacious one.

I promise, I have learned my lesson.

[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.

[RotaryP7]

Nokia maps is pretty good. I remember the Nokia Nuron. It had Nokia maps and GPS which worked offline, no cell signal required since it used GPS satellites.

[Stig McNasty]

Ha! "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." Not round here it isn't. Can't find Earls Court Exhibition centre (one of the biggest in London), is useless for finding almost any address, and satellite imagery coverage is still dire. There's no way that it's going to get any better without spending some serious money and acquiring the info/data. Waiting for us to do it is just going to annoy more and more people - and annoy some onto other platforms. Grrrr. Halfbaked Fail.