Nokia Maps to get augmented reality functionality

By Robert Brand
last updated

Nokia have announced that the Nokia Maps app will get getting the augmented reality (AR) treatment. At present, AR is only present in Nokia City Lens. At today’s Lumia announcement they showed maps switching to a view similar to what's present in City Lens. 

We could also be witnessing an upcoming convergence with their location based apps having much more in common? 

Nokia is keen to own the “Where” space and it’s only natural that they expand the range of facilities of their own location based apps. With augmented reality featured in Nokia Maps, we'll have more tools at the disposal when out and about, making our lives easier using Windows Phone.

Robert Brand
Robert Brand
11 Comments
  • Love what Nokia is doing....got my money ready for the 920 don't know what color yet.
  • Interchangeable backplates FTW. Red has my vote though
  • We need approximate release dates, Daniel :)
  • We need to watch the video recording of the event. Where is it?
  •  The yellow matches my Dewalt tools and isn't fugly like very other yellow phone in existance.  Of note is the camera and on a job site being able to snap a clear photo or video of a problem or part in poor light and have it sent right to Skydrive for Engineering or the Parts Dept to get to work on is the money shot.  Adding to things new toughness and easy charging, the Nokia 920 is going to be a winner on the job site.
  • There are several apps that do this and they're all terrible. Maybe Nokia can do something decent with this, but I won't hold my breath.
  • Hi, this is Pino from Nokia.
    Yes, there are other augmented reality apps out there, but for us augmented reality is a technology, not a single app. This is why it's part of Nokia City Lens and now also of Nokia Maps. What we have done is integrating augmented reality into a full mapping and navigation offering.
  • Will this work with the GPS function so that your route is superimposed on the camera view of the street?
  • This is a good idea, indeed! But unfortunately it's not yet available in Nokia Maps.
  • In huge cities people will have to be careful using AR. Its hard enough being safe while walking normally. So let me issue the safety warning on behalf of Microsoft: Be careful of people and traffic while using augmented reality.lol
  • Love the innovation with the Lumia range. Whilst the speakers at the announcement all spoke well none did so well as Kevin Shields. He spoke with a natural likeability and passion that it would do good for Nokia to adopt in future technology release announcements. The energy definately picked up when he started to present and whilst I know he had lots of physical toys to actually show the same presentation style would have made the whole event a 10/10. I give Nokia 9.5/10 for all the technology updates and a 7.5/10 for the presentation.
     
    We want to hear the audience applauding all major announcements not just the one or two.
     
    Why am I going on about this? Because from now on every marketing pitch has to be 10/10 and carrier support and sales people support needs to be 10/10 for Nokia to get the results they deserve.
    I hope they have a marketing campaign that will blow away the competition as they are the first story out of the gates but over the next week or two they could get forgotten in the blitz from the other players in the game.
     
    I'll be buying the Lumia 920 and the JBL charging/speaker station along with one or two desktop wireless chargers (one stand up and one of the smaller ones).
     
    You have a great product but you must have marketing and carrier support.
     
    Nokia/MS game on!