Nokia's HERE Maps division won't be spending as much development time on the Windows Phone platform as it has in the past. In a new interview with The Next Web, Sean Fernback, the Senior Vice President, Everyday Mobility, at the company's HERE division, is quoted as saying, "As a result of the transaction, we're having to wind down our Windows Phone app development and shift it over towards Android and iOS."
The "transaction" Fernback is referring to is, of course, Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's Devices and Services division in April. Nokia has made no secret of the fact that it wants to expand its HERE Maps efforts so it can be a viable competitor to Google Maps. A few weeks ago, it launched an Android version of its HERE Maps app for Samsung smartphones and will expand that app to more Android devices, as well as iOS, later this year.
In today's interview, Fernback says that while the Windows Phone development of HERE Maps may not be getting as much attention anymore, it won't be going away completely. He added, "It's a dialogue we're having [with Microsoft], so we will see where it takes us." It's more than possible that the two companies could reach an agreement that will allow HERE Maps to continue heavy development on the Windows Phone front.
HERE Maps launched as a Windows Phone, and Nokia Lumia smartphones, exclusive in 2013, in a rebranding of Nokia Maps. Nokia also released a version of the app for Windows 8.1. Do you think Nokia is making the right or wrong decision in scaling down their Windows Phone efforts for HERE Maps?
Update: Pino Bonetti from the HERE Maps team has left a detailed response below regarding the information presented here. In short, Bonetti reaffirms that HERE Maps will be used by Microsoft for at least 4 years, offline maps are not going anywhere, and that HERE and Microsoft are "discussing with Microsoft how to proceed" with software development. In short, this looks to be more like catching Microsoft and HERE between talks, rather than any firm decisions, as Microsoft is likely to take on development more in the future.
Source: The Next Web
Reader comments
Nokia HERE Maps will 'wind down' Windows Phone app development in favor of Android and iOS (Update)
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well is the worst decision of develop for android Here maps, because the piracy of apps in android exist and is the biggest problem for developers have seen in websites that there was an leak from Samsung apk to the rest of Android phones, so with almost 80% of people using android and do not wanting to pay by the application then the only final of Nokia here maps division will be bankruptcy, i am watching that even in many android phones been sucessful installing here maps and downloading for free the maps in an application which just is pirate.
No!!! Are they stupid or what?
They already have Google Maps on Android for free
And this is most used on mobiles and PC's
Here Maps is so goofy. The software is used by many major auto manufacturers, is present in millions of vehicles on the road, yet maybe 5 people know who NavTeq is and that Nokia is powering the nav system. MS is missing a mark by not revising their auto OS to resemble the Modern theme and tie everything together. License the damn software, and integrate it into everything map related at MS.
OK I am not understanding this thread, does this mean that Win Phones will no longer have access to Here Drive? If so what would we use instead?
What it means is that, the app is likely, from here on out, in maintenance only mode.
Don't expect any major updates to it, and when licensing runs out in four years time, Microsoft will have to come up with their own Navigation solution.
That is, if they're still in the mobile OS and hardware game, which I highly doubt. (In fact, I suspect Nadella writes down the Nokia purchase and quietly sells off the manufacturing assets to other OEMs. The guy does NOT want to be in the hardware business).
I think maps is the same as here maps?
I stopped using HERE maps and Drive when they switched voice commands over to BT Phone instead of BT audio. It's unusable as all I get is "*music,music,music**silence**more silence*"...-ight"*silence**music*"
Waze does voice commands through AD2P so there isn't even an interruption to what I am listening to yet still understandable.
Sooner or later that was gonna happen. Lets see how Microsoft will improve on Bing Maps.
i think microsoft wants to prefer bing maps over HERE maps.
I think Nokia is absolutely right!!! Coz ms is killing their name and destroying them so they have to do something to remain in the market... Well done Nokia.
I bought my Lumia 1520 with free LIFETIME navigation, I don't think they can just take it away/stop updating it?
Why would they want to do that in the first place? I always boasted of Nokia Maps (the best in the planet) and is exclusivity to WP. If Nokia goes completely out of picture. I am going out of picture for WP :(
I stopped using here maps anyway. It started getting buggy and crashing. Plus I like copilot better now.
Time to jump ship and go back to Android
Windows 9 is our last hope to stop this massacre!!! Keep the platform alive! PLEASE!!!
What's next? WP users will have to go to the local AAA store to get a map when they wanrt to navigate?
Here map ? Lousy, just in front of my own home, it tell me to keep going.
This is depressing news. Oh well. As long as Microsoft adds voice to Bing Maps, I’ll be fine. In the past, I’ve found that Bing Maps was more accurate but since it didn’t offer turn-by-turn voice navigation, it was never really a viable option. As far as developing for Android and iOS, while I understand the need to expand in order to increase revenue and all that, realistically, I don’t see them making much of a dent on Android. If a person is using an Android device, then they’re going to be using Google Maps and would have little reason to switch over to the ‘new kid on the block.’ They would have a much better chance making in-roads with Apple users. From the reviews I’ve read, the iOS 8 update did little to improve their mapping service. I hope things work out for them but moving most of your resources from a proven commodity to an unknown one doesn’t make much sense to me.
I wonder if we'll see Cortana Maps in the future??
Here's the thing, Microsoft has it's own mapping app that uses the same mapping data. Now that Nokia no longer makes their own WP devices, it makes no sense for them to make Here apps exclusive to Lumia on WP. Making the mapping app available to all WP users when Microsoft has another app available to all WP users with the same exact data might be a waste of resources for Nokia at this point.
To be successful with Here, Nokia has to concentrate on iOS and Android. Google Maps and Waze are tough competition for them on those two platforms.
For these two reasons it makes less sense for them to still heavily invest in the WP apps.
Microsoft on the other hand, needs to start thinking about their future with maps. Maps are an integral part of mobile platforms. They have a deal with Nokia for the mapping data but they need to create their own turn-by-turn navigation app to complement their maps app
The saddest /silliest thing about this is that Nokia STILL has managers who don't know how to keep their bloody mouths shut. Just say "we will be investing a lot into our IOS and Android apps". No need to talk down your main platform.
Waze and Here both the most used navigation apps for me are now getting the cold storage treatment. Great. The life of an average WP user.
What a bunch of ignorants. Wake up. Elop was a trojan horse clearly. Nokia is mediocre? Are you kidding me? If their would have been no Nokia. Samsung would make cheese now and apple would have soled iprank on steak. Wake up you bunch of ignorant preeks, everything that is mobile is made with nokia pattents. Smartphones, camera, gsm network, even your shity touch. Elope came and destroyed the only real mobile company out there. When he came, n8 was comming out and meego. 2 great platforms. And this basterd killed them with two words. Burning platforms. As if wp is not. Share holders clearly knew what flop is doing, otherwise i can,t understand the idiocracy to let some microsoft troll to destroy a legend, a king, not just a brand, but a legacy. The only company that can leave a legacy to the ignorant mass these days that can,t multiply two by two but brag about smartphones and their hardware, whom they also have no clue why and how is to be used. Here has nothing against google maps? :)) for a bunch of kids who want to see their home door, maybe not. For someone who uses maps to travel. For sure is able to take a dump in some google area, and then comes this other ignorants with ms and their salvation. Salvation my ass, if there would have not been ms. I would be playing with a real platform now on my lumia. And that one,s called meego, or at least symbian. Only reading this clueless comments can be clearly seen that this people have no ideea what power of proccesing symbian has, what true multitasking is and how many capabilities that system has in front of all this new trend crappy child os,s. Taking only fmtransmitter and 41 mpx camera is already to much for crapple and crapdroid to digest.
Microsoft's purchase of Nokia is finally starting to pay off.
From what it seems, the best way to enjoy Microsoft services is to get an iPhone or an android. Imagine Google providing more polished and first to WP their apps. How would android users would feel about it? What Microsoft is doing with their services to their own devices is at least absurd.
Yeah this one is about Nokia, but I mean in general how Microsoft Handle things in similar cases, Skype etc.
Wanna fight google maps? Common...even japan maps they don't have it until today...
I still use paper maps
The reason why i still use Lumia is because of HERE Map
YES BRING BACK THE OLD WINDOWS PHONE MAP FROM WP7. That was actually better than Here Maps.
I just think they should drop the HERE name and just go with Nokia Maps, etc. What were they thinking?
Awesome, can't wait to use HERE maps and have offline mapping when I drop this miserable WP and get a Nexus device
Offline maps and navigation is THE reason for me to have a WP Nokia phone.
Sounds like the descent apps for Windows Phone are going to move away to where the rest of the market is.... If we lose the good apps, we will lose the war.... I am seriously watching what's going on because when I have enough money to buy a very great phone I'll be choosing between the three OS's and right now I'm leaning towards a Note 4. But it will be awhile before I have enough cash since I'm going to save up at least half off contract price before I buy
Bing maps all the way..
I really wish HERE Map app available to other platform, for me the best navigation tool.
Doom and gloom!
Development of here maps wound down on wp long time ago! Drive hasn't been updated in ages and lacks features from symbian version (especially waypoints). I can't imagine how more can it get wound down. If things continue in this fashion it may be a good time to abandon ship.
More bad news.
Good move for nokia
Posted via the Windows Phone Central App for Android
After tricking people to buy Nokia phones by putting their free maps (promoted as life time free) as part of the package, they will leave their poor customers and runaway just like that?!?
I. Stuck on t- mo both business and home im done with coming soon lack of high end devices no updates done
So true. This is a good move by HERE as a financial decision to develop for IOS and Android. This will grow their mapping system massively. HERE actually has 80% of the new car market for in car GPS systems. If you have tried HERE maps beta on PC you will see they are well on the way to becoming a major player against Google maps. I've even seen the HERE street mapping car in Brisbane Australia so it won't be long before they have a complete GPS and mapping system that more than rivals Google... In fact I wouldn't be surprised to see the world saying "Search. for that on HERE maps" instead of using Google. With the years of experience behind them Google Maps is already an inferior product to HERE maps... LOL OFFLINE MAPS MY ASS!... I can't cache more than a square 100km area with Google... Give me true offline maps any day.
Don't need any new features anyhow, just keep updating maps of all I care about
Ah yes, the classic case of (Nokia)rebelling against your new step dad (Microsoft)
MSFT needs to lock this down, unless they somehow allow google maps on WP. Right, it's probably between talks but here makes is a money earner for Nokia, far more than its mobile division - msft can't let this go. Bing is just not up to scratch!
Well its signs of the times, is this platform is going to die?
WHAT!!!!
I'm very sorry to hear this. HERE Maps is my favorite navigation app.
This is one of my favorite app on WP. If you remove that one without a proper alternative you will disappoint a lot of WP users
Posted via Windows Phone Central App
Hi,
For the Record. This is a more-detailed post by Paul Thurrott from SuperSite for Windows about this issue:
http://winsupersite.com/windows-phone/are-here-maps-winding-down-windows-phone-update-no
Ciao!
Cortana Maps Anyone?
Cortana Maps? Anyone? backed up by Bing or other source
Not encouraging news (except for Nokia shareholders, which I kind of wish I still were-- they made me some money though, no hard feelings).
I have been hoping for some updates to HERE Drive-- it's decent, but I want better routing (more traffic-aware routes, for one) and a few more features (lane advice, better search, the opportunity for a little discovery while driving, more POI's). Now I don't know what I am hoping for outside of the status quo to remain a baseline for functionality for this app.
MS better not let this one slip through the cracks; location services are a HUGE part of mobile and a sub-par experience is one of the things that could push even satisfied users away from the platform (and they certainly don't need more reasons for folks to NOT to buy a WP, for crying out loud).
Here Maps is absolute rubbish anyway. MS needs to do a ton to it to even be in the same realm as Google Maps or even their own Bing Maps.
LoL complete with Google maps on Android. That is the only crazier position Nokia could take compared to going dedicated to Windows phone
I think it will be great for Nokia to expand the Here Maps & Drive apps to other platforms. Good business for Nokia & I think those services will rock on the other platforms.
Posted via the WPC App for Android!
If HERE maps will not usable offline anymore, there's no more point in using it. It will be the same as Bing Maps, Google Maps, and all other maps in the store. Let MS give HERE maps what they want to do.
No big deal. That app cannot come close to the functionality of CoPilot GPS.
This is TERRIBLE news! The HERE suite of Navagation/Location services are a major reason I chose my Lumia 920 (I drive a lot for work). I really don't want to but if HERE starts falling behind I may have no choice but to jump ship back to Apple just when Windows Phone is starting to be a true competitor. :(*
Microsoft if this isnt proof that Bailmer was actually right, for once, that you needed to buy ALL of Nokia I don't know what is.
All the negative commenting about leaving the platform etc.. Read the article properly or research topic before pulling the trigger with responses. Here maps for win phone isn't going anywhere in the near future relax
Here maps are the best
If here maps comes to IOS! I'll buy an iPhone
Please why such hate towards Nokia they are doing what's profitable anyway even Microsoft gives more attention towards other os( Skype) so I don't know why Nokia should get all the blame anyway this just means the app will not be updated rigorously, the map data will still be updated as and when required. For me I am hoping that as more users start using the app, the map data will be updated more frequently and also some countries or places not supported will be included very soon.
Stupid sellouts...
If Nokia's name is taken I can deal with that but if they continue destroying Nokia's star apps and services I will be one angry person.
I absolutely agree that they should be developing for other platforms so that they can increase potential revenue, however, MSFT should double down and pay them if they have to to get continued product upgrades in lock step with upgrades for the other platforms.
I'm a huge WP fanboy like most of you on here are and would like to see WP gain market share. Having a solid 'native' mapping application is IMHO an absolute must. I know it's not truly native except for Lumia phones today but that's just it - the defualt mapping app on WP should be HERE and not Bing on all future phones.
I've used HERE maps as the primary GPS on my Lumia 1520 when I'm travelling and using rental cars, I can happily say the experience is far superior to the ones I have in my in-built navs in my cars (Lexus and Porsche).
MSFT - ARE YOU LISTENING???
Wondering what else they are up to!? Considering this; https://www.zlauncher.com/
Now I have finally lost hope in WP....
I bought Nokia Lumia not because of windows os but for the brand Nokia; it's built quality. And believe there are lot others who bought for the same reason like mine.
windows phone is becoming nothing but a crap...
Poor Nokia, let the purge end... !
Waiting on my pre-ordered Note 4 :)
I use copilot now, no worries. Too bad though...
I often use HERE maps and HERE Drive and I've been mostly pleased with them. The offline feature is a real benefit. However, it seems like progress has really slowed of late, so this announcement doesn't come as a surprise to me. For example, live traffic rerouting in HERE Drive is a feature that seems to have talked about for a while, but has never materialised (despite being available on Symbian). There's something really frustrating about being told much traffic is going to delay your journey, without being re-routed around it!
Can I get Google Maps for Windows Phone? Pretty pleaaaaase? :(
You are just crazy
since wp users are the current users of here maps, they are the ones recomending ios and android users to use it, if they get a crappy experience i dont see that happening, and therefore here maps will die in wp where it is loved while trying to appeal foreign platforms, a great mistake i hope they never make, ms will probably make agreements to keep the best experience and exclusive features to windows apps
Well, fuck you, Nokia.
Ok let's move to other platforms as well since no one seems to care for WP
Will they give away the Here suit for free on iOS and Android too as they did on WP? Don't think so.
Poor decision and feels like some kind of revenge towards MS
Well, that's not good, I really hope they Will change the"wind" back to WP as it's one of the best app on the platform...
just found this link http://www.zdnet.com/nokia-were-still-here-on-windows-phone-7000034055/
God dam it Microsoft!!! Work harder on Windows Phone!!! They make videos comparing Siri vs Cortana but so?? Cortana is not in all languages, Siri is. Microsoft needs to expand faster in other countries, bringing new devices and services as the same time than US!! That's why iOS and Android gain more users! I think MS is loosing this badly :(
I hope Nokia don't leave Windows Phone, we don't have a viable maps option I'd they do.
Could be time for MSFT too buy the rest of Nokia...
Here maps is garbage to begin with... same with here drive. If they can't generate brand loyalty to begin with, there is no point supporting there failures. Garmin all the way
at least still here for another 4 years a lot can change in that time.
4 years of a wind down. So what did we learn new in the update? Not much except that this was put out to avoid wholesale abandon ship of WP.. The wind down is still happening and we need to look for another solution...just not today.
It's good that HERE Maps are expanding to other platforms as well. Not too good if they don't work on the WP version of the app as much though.
Not snatching up Nokia's maps division was a mistake!
That sucks! Well we have Bing Maps!!!!!!
Honestly I don't use it anyways, I use the Maps app that comes on the phone already.
A reasonable decision given Android & IOS has a larger slice of the mobile pie. If Microsoft can secure commitment from the HERE team for further licensing & development (and I do hope they can), then I would expect that MS/WP users would benefit from the larger scale work done for other platforms.
What Stephen Elop said about the burning platform, he meant Windows Phone :(
Bing maps are not as good as here maps
Now microsoft is killing Nokia....how frustrated. They will never kill our hero's brand because Nokia was popular around '90..
Do not remove offline map. It is a selling point
There is enough space for everybody!!!!
Really happy to see this confirmation.....
I don't know why MS Spends all this money on advertisements when they have nothing, I mean nothing to compete against the iPhone 6 and 6 plus. Nothing on all four carriers... The last great device they released with no compromises was the Nokia Lumia 920, and that phone was released 2 years ago. The Icon in this day and age is a huge compromise. Then this bombshell regarding that Nokia won';t develop Window Phone Here maps, this is just sad :( RIP Windows Phone....MS should quit spending money on the Cortana apps until they release a no compromise hardware flagship, that has appeal to every user from Children to Grandparents.... Bring on that flagship!
HERE maps is awesome...so is the "Maps" which I guess is Bing maps I got after I updated to wp8.1...i personally find maps come with an extra touch..i just find it convenient using maps...
Why microsoft don't just build up its own maps service is beyond me
They were. They had. Bing Maps was being developed until NOKIA came onboard the WP bandwagon and forced MS to abandon it and use HERE maps instead. Actually, we even had turn by turn before HERE, although it was nowhere near as robust. You had to tap on the screen to "hear" voice navigation. This was in WP 7.5
Wow. People really took it the wrong way.
I'm leaving windows phone
Posted via the Windows Phone Central App for Android
Why Nokia can't give out their HERE maps when Microsoft can give its Office suite, One Note, Smart Glass and further planned Cortana to iOS & Android and what not..
This app must be an exclusive , I hate Microsoft for what its doing , why , they don't care about. Us , IMO we shouldn't even consider them alive ....
Re. UPDATE: That's FINE!
Well, I have Nokia stock, so hooray!
This is stupid. Google and apple has their own service. Why not windows phone.
So they're basically trying to get a better deal by spreading news like this.
I never cared much for Microsoft phone, I ended up here because I chose Nokia years ago, primarily for the LIFETIME of free off line navigation, open file system and superior cameras. And now this insensitive posturing?
Wow makes it sound as Nokia Here keeps WP alive give me a break
Exactly. It didn't keep Symbian alive. They use to charge for their maps and then they started giving it away for free when Google Maps came out. Come to think 'bout it, that's kinda why I stayed longer than I should have with Symbian. But gave up after too many issues with their phones.
Another lost occasion for Nokia to just shut up...
And today, I really hate Microsoft for this big lose.
Microsoft, please listen and work hard. We need to capture 4% market share anyhow. Seriously, do something. Tizen is on the way! What the hack is happening.
Annoying and sickening and dragging loyal customers for their greedy mired ride.
For Nokia this would of course be a good thing, the same doesn't hold for WP though
Sounds like it's time for another updated Navigation Apps comparison review.
Please buy the lisence of here map solutions. Seriously, after this we do not have any official map and nevigation system except bing which is less responsive and reliable. Not working perfectly as here map. I loved this here map since beginning and that was one of the valid reson to stand out in the crowd few days ago. Expanding is ok, but disbanding us and residing on the android and apple, is totally sick option.
Here maps available in android?
Here maps is available in android?
Well, WPC does make a very prominent impact.
Here here
Why ?!!!!!
What's awesome about Bing maps? No voice guided or turn by turn. Just list view on my maps app on 8.1. Am I missing something?
How in the world will people "switch" to Windows Phone if most of its features are on other platforms...
I knew it. Hahahahah once MS lawyers made the call they clarified their intentions. Hahaha
This makes me so mad. I don't think it will help, people use Gmaps if on Android, Amaps on iOS, so they're just kicking themselves in the head for ditching WP, they had pretty much 90% of WP vs max of 10% on the other platforms.
Also big 2? iOS is only now really big in the USA everywhere else its been declining, so much so that they probably were on more WP devices in EU than if they got 50% of iOS devices in EU.
*stats from top of my head but ya get the jist.
No worries. Microsoft have Bing map
Not surprising... Natural to shift dev resources to platforms they want to expand on. I hope they Scroogle Google!!
Updated articles with 10 years confirmation
Thank god! Windows needs ONE map solution like it needs one "windows". Here + Local scout is a clusterfudge that WP team should never have allowed two "apps" for.
Who cares. Bing Maps is faster. If MS can keep developing on that front, it won't matter to me. They have some of the best looking apps on the platform anyways. All the Bing stuff looks and runs better than the apps it competes with. The only ones that really care are NOKIA fanboys, which I used to be 'til WP came out and then I saw the light. Most stable OS I've used.
Symbian what? Ovi What? Garbage OS and Software, that's what.
Since I first used a Nokia 6680 with maps and a separate Bluetooth gps unit I have found the sat nav guidance second to none, now couple that with the carl ziess camera on the nokias, lumias etc., who can compete with that combination? So to lose here maps would be a huge mistake for Microsoft, I'm sure their customers would desert them in droves
These will make iPhone becomes top sales.
O dear. Offline maps n best camera are two big reasons I av a WP...
I use here map n drive a whole lot. I'm really disappointed that they are not spending more time improving the app. Which is really good, but let's face it, could really use some tweaking and updating.
I know this gonna happen, MS bought nokia and ruining it. I waiting from last six months for Lumia 930 release in my country but its not and now MS delay its release in Lumia 830 favor and also not releasing it.
Till my buy of Lumia I am waiting for a descent video player app but no, I got laggy moliplayer and now MS ruined the music player which lags like he'll.
Now this news makes me more angry. Long time gone but still less first party apps.
If they takes this much time to release their flagship phones to release, than I am done with MS.
I might switch to Android and iPhone combo from Android and Lumia.
Tom Warren just tweeted that this is patently wrong, to ignore any reports that Nokia is winding down support for Windows Phone.
i really do like Here Maps... hope nokia will still continue its support for Here Maps on WP...
Anyway, Lumia 920 will be last windows phone.
Now the hard truth comes: if you are building a business providing mobile apps, you have to go where the fish are...and there are, what, 10 billion Android phones in service and maybe a half-billion Windows (phones)?
But, if you could make money relative to investment on Windows (phone) you'd still do it. Microsoft will have to pay them for that, based on market share (or lack thereof).
Why not make more bucks..??
Why leave opportunity..??
Smart business call, disrespecting the platform where more than 95% of your customers are. Smart.
/sarcasm
Stupid move, you can't compete with free. Google gives away maps as a loss leader to sell adds. Nokia's only play is to integrate with another search engine, did I say Bing, to capture add revenue.
And now im not going to close my doors on other plarforms. Yass!
Could someone more familiar with the mapping industry please explain to me how mapping applications are monetized? Is it a license to the vendors or ads or what?
I don't mind them dropping HERE Maps, but, is it only Maps or all of HERE? Is Drive a part of this as well, that's where I'll have an issue.
I don't care for this move, but it isn't surprising. If their goal (as a separate company), is to compete with Google Maps then this is a necessary move. Though I hope they are true to their words when they say they won't abandon WP and I really hope Microsoft works to keep their product live on this platform as it is a great product. Business is business, though, and life will go on.
I'm betting Google fights back... hard.
Nokia drive is the defacto best navigation app on any platform available
Switch from Windows Phone to Android?! That's just crazy, haha. If I left I'd probably go iOS. At least Apple is focused on that product. The Nexus 5 would also be a possibility.
Stay focused people, carriers are the biggest problem when it comes to smartphones.
I'd like to see Microsoft do their version of a Nexus phone. Bypassing the carriers completely!
More platforms are good, but give up WP is fat shit. Hope they do nothing in this way!!!!!!
This comes across as a real slap in the face to us Windows Phone developers who have focused app work around the HERE APIs. And the next to last paragraph sounds like HERE is trying to force Microsoft to make some sort of overture in order to get development back up to a reasonable level. I'm wording that nicer than I'm thinking...
Please don't screw your most loyal fans!!!!!
It was expected, now that they were off the leash. Business is business.
No what does that tell you? Before 8.1 I loved maps then the built in maps came along and its so annoying
Looks like my next Lumia will be my last.
Poor WP u.u
The here navigation keeps freezing for me. Didn't do it before. Guess I can't expect that to get fixed. Guess I need to find something else.
This makes me mad. I don't want to have to use even one android or IOS feature. I want to be completely in Microsoft/Nokia ecosystem.
HERE maps can't get any worse at this point. You can't even create a route in the damn thing. I'm an avid motorcyclist and I enjoy taking the routes that keep me off of the interstate.
This is a bit troubling to hear although the actual apps are mature versus what will appear on the other platforms. I will be somewhat happy as long as they keep updating the actual map data. One thing I want is a button to be added to toggle a list view of my planned route. I know u can see the list before u hit that start button (to begin the actual voice guidance). It would be nice to have that button accessible even after u hit the button to begin your journey. Anyone know what I mean?
that says so much about the future of Windows Phone.
We will see in coming weeks that there was some kind of deal related to Maps or revised strategy....
I think all of the development has been going to Windows Phone and now they want to expand the service-App! It's seems to me that you need to move your resources to other operating systems if you are going to expand in that market! I think in time here is going to be a product you can choose on any device just like Microsoft Office is moving to! It is just the evolution of this mobile market!
Nokia hope you find another way out, please rename it back to Nokia Maps instead of Here Map. ;)
What a bummer. WP is losing more support than it's gaining. Soon everything that's actually worth getting a WP for will be on other platforms and probably better as well. Guess I really have to consider apple and android devices when I upgrade next time.
I was seriously thinking exactly the same thing. I have an iPod Touch that I use as my main music player and as a test platform that I have Bing, OneDrive, Office and OneNote installed on it. I was thinking to myself that if I were to buy an iPhone the only thing I'd really be missing now is Cortana, and the value of that is kind of debatable. Otherwise I'd have everything I have on WP plus access to far more apps that get updated more frequently. The fact that there isn't so much as a whisper of any high end devices coming in the near future doesn't bode well either, so I'm going to be doing some serious debating come upgrade time next spring.
Nope. Dumb. Don't do it.
Here maps is very good a lot better than Bing maps. As Nokia is not in smartphone business anymore so its just completely waste of time to focus at one OS while they can expand the service by huge margin by lunching in iOS or Android. It could have been better if here apps were exclusive to Nokia phones but now Nokia is no more so the step is fully justified
I wish here maps would still remain an exclusive product for Windows phones. But it's a great prospect for HERE to make some cross platform maps, since no other apps work offline. For Microsoft it's too late to get them back and probably they won't do it. It would be so great if they support HERE works for Windows platform at least.
big mistake for Nokia if they do that
Hi guys, some of you already know me, I'm Pino from the HERE team and I would like to provide a bit of clarity on this.
1. HERE is powering Windows Phone and that's not gonna change (for at least 10 years)
Microsoft entered a license agreement with HERE to use our mapping platform for at least 10 years. This is why you see HERE maps on Windows Phone not only in the HERE apps but also in the Facebook app, in the Foursquare app, in the Instagram app and many more, even in the Uber app.
2. Offline maps aren't going anywhere either
Licensing our mapping platform doesn't mean that Microsoft is only using our data, but thy have access to our full capability, including the possibility to store maps offline.
3. The more people use HERE the better it gets for everyone
Every cloud based service lives with user input. The more you use Amazon or Facebook, the better they get and we're not different. The more people use HERE, the better it gets for everyone. Don't you want better traffic info on your Windows Phone? That's why we have to enable also your friends with an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy to use HERE so that everyone can take advantage. We used to develop for "Windows Phone first", now "all OS are equal".
4. The map apps on Windows Phone will get better
We haven't stopped developing for Windows Phone, but we are discussing with Microsoft how to proceed. At the end, whether as a HERE app or not, your location experience on Windows Phone will improve. Btw, we updated the maps on Windows Phone just a short time ago and more updates are coming soon.
I think, if u r pino indeed, u should tip the authors or something to update the article.
Regarding "We used to develop for WP first, now all OS r equal", I think u should continue with "WP first", at least features should arrive first on WP. I know I am talking from "WP user point" and android and iOS have more market share, but WP is the only platform that u r fully integrated in, while on other platforms ur presence will be simply an app, plus most iOS and android users r to this date using Google maps and they will have little incentive to switch, when google implementation has always been reliable on those platforms. I know it's simply silly to ignore those juggernaut platforms, but bigger doesn't mean more gains. Many games launched first on WP like chicken can't fly went cross platform and met very little success there, despite its popularity in WP.
Whoops sorry guys, while I was typing I made a honest mistake: the license is currently for 4 years, not 10
posts can be edited
Yes but ontly within a short period of time, so yeah... I made a mistake and now I have to live with it ;-)
It's great to talk to you, btw.
Likewise. Sorry for my aggravation, but your bosses should have thought more about how to present this business change before making public statements. You've done a better job at communicating than they have.
Thank you for clarification. Now if only Fernback and other executioves at HERE could do a better job at communicating.
Thank you... For helping to calm this tempest in a teapot...
Unfortunately most commenters do not read the article or any of the comments. They read a headline and vent emotions, then add to whatever replies they garner.
Still, I appreciate you confirming what I suspected as the case all along.
How can you claim that "The more people use HERE the better it gets for anyone?" You do not get any information from HERE users, not even those of us who want to send you information.
HERE has the worst-in-class crowdsourcing platform. There's literally NO way to get a correction made to your maps, even egregious errors, like streets that don't connect, one-way traffic, etc. I have tried. For years. At HERE you STILL demand that corrections be submitted to a Web 1.0 Navteq reporting page and then the changes never get made. Your Map editing system is open for edits only to 3rd world countries, and small ones at that.
Hi TrthDurr, first of all, when you use e.g. HERE Drive we're collecting probes to calculate traffic conditions. They're anonymos pieces of information that we collect randomly, so we're not tracking you and we're also giving the option to opt-out.
We're updating our maps 2.7 millions time every day from 80,000 sources. We are relying on our precise mapping technology, because we care about the quality of our maps.
In some countries, however, people can send suggestions via the Map Creator tool. Those suggestions are verified then approved by us. In other countries, Map Creator is only open to real geographers, students of cartography, etc. because we believe that quality is better than quantity.
while I respect your work, clearly the reason google maps is THE name is because of the ease of crowdsourcing. You need to embrace change or be swept with it. Otherwise you're going to end up like Encarta going against wikipedia.
as long as the development stays equal to all platform without prefering ios, android and ignoring windows phone here apps im fine
So let me understand this right...you are saying
1. Here maps is halting/slowing development of the windows phone app
2. Here map data on windows phone is going to get better because its common across all platforms
3. for enhancements to a drive app, we should hope microsoft will build one using the here map data.
Usually all these services run in a backend and rely on the application if the backend is not available for whatever reason... so that might be true.
Translation from Nokia: We won't spend time on HERE maps for Windows unless Microsoft pays us money or buys us off.
Seems like the prevalent thing these days; extorting Microsoft.
See, that's how it came across to me too. HERE executives need to seriously work on their public statements.
So why MS compete, make comparison, commercial to IOS and always said that they want to get the no.1 spot in OS. They made a wrong move to put their other apps and work to IOS and AnDROID. C'mon MST.
And because of that maybe i don't want to be a WP loyalist anymore, why? B'coz all the things that you can found in WP can found in android, and IT'S MUCH BETTER than wp.. Tsk tsk haaayy...
Can't really blame them. That's what I'd do if I was in their shoes. Nokia is trying to survive right now and it doesn't take a crystal ball to see that MSFT will probably be a direct competitor of their HERE system with BING Maps very soon.
This also illustrates why MSFT bought Nokia's phone division. By early next year they would have probably pushed WP development into maintenance mode also, and started moving Lumia to an Android platform. MSFT couldn't let that happen so they were basically forced into the purchase.
Bing Maps use HERE data.
Not for to much longer :)
I've said it before and I've said it again, and now the defenders of the nokia maps are going to eat crow: nokia maps was a bad idea because they would always pull this card on microsoft who now has to rush out and get bing maps up to speed.
MSFT lack of investment in bing maps is one of the reasons people pick google.
I like Google Maps as it has local shops/businesses and transit information all integrated in one app. Also Street View. Bing has non of this on the W8P! At least Nokia did, even though less and missing shops/info/streetview when compared to Google maps!
People panicking all over the forum
Optimize here maps for WP! It gets pretty hot on my 920 and uses a ton of battery power, even with offline maps.
This is very bad news. MSFT need to step up and pay Nokia to continue developing maps for windows devices, phones, tablets, wearables...etc.
The technologies that connect the digital and analog worlds are critical. Language translation, speach, location/mapping, are all ecosystem fights. Lose one, and your ecosystem is at a severe disadvantage. Excel and you gain converts.
Like a developer said in /r/Windowsphone last night, its hard for major apps to turn a profit, especially if they are free without ads. I hope the best for HERE, but they have their work cut out for them with google maps.
The routing in HERE maps sucks anyway. No great loss.
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