Nokia releases HERE Transit and HERE Maps for non-Lumia Windows Phones

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A lot of folks running Windows Phone on an HTC or Samsung device have bemoaned at the some of the exclusive apps Nokia makes available only to their own Lumia line. While it makes sense for Nokia to differentiate themselves, we know that sting from feeling left out. No pouting today though, Nokia now is letting folks on non-Lumia devices get some more HERE action.

Previously HERE Drive Beta was available to everyone, but now you can add HERE Maps and HERE Transit to the list of apps.

HERE Transit and Maps screenshots

Earlier today at Mobile World Congress Nokia pushed out an update to all their navigation and location apps – mostly rebranding them to HERE and adding the ability to sync with the HERE cloud. HERE Drive Beta was available to everyone, but Maps and Transit weren’t. Check our coverage from that here. No word on if HERE City Lens will make its way to non-Lumia devices, but this is a good start we think. FYI: Forgot to add that the apps are currently available to users in the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Spain. Sorry for the any falsehope. We'll see if we can get anything on availability to other markets.

If you’re reading to get these apps for your Windows Phone 8 device from HTC or Samsung, you’ll want to go here for HERE Maps in the Windows Phone Store, use the QR code below, or swipe to the right in our app. For HERE Transit click this and you’ll be in the Windows Phone Store, use the QR below, or swipe to the right.

Source: The Windows Phone Blog

Thanks for the tip Jon D!

Sam Sabri
Sam Sabri
98 Comments
  • Whiners can stop whining now about exclusives, what have HTC and Samsung shared with everyone else?
  • Honestly HTC has nothing to share since coming from WP7.X to WP8, HTC has less exclusive app than before....Sad HTC sad!!!!!
  • No whining here from me. I appreciate them doing it and wouldn't complain if they didn't. Can't control what HTC develops and/or releases.
  • Someone did whine? Why not whine to the company you bought phone from but to Nokia :)
    I know my next phone will be Nokia exactly because they release apps.
     
  • Plenty of people whined. There appears to be some animosity towards Nokia for some reason..
  • Yes, a lot of whiners thought it was weakening the wp8 ecosystem. Nokia has put all its eggs in one basket. They want you to buy a Nokia phone and use Nokia services over Samsung, HTC, and Huawei. Makes sense to me on the exclusives. And I am sure they will spread the exclusives to other countries once they get approval and test the apps.
  • Nokia signed an exclsive deal with AT& T. For people locked into other carriers; they had a reason to be pissed at Nokia for selling out to AT&T. 
  • Here's my whine...not available for 7.5.
  • That is a legitimate gripe. Does it have to do with the augmented reality? I have to imagine how saving favorites could be ported to 7.5.
  • Nor 7.8
  • i will whine too  i was very fast checking on th store and then... dissapointed so badly ... jajajajaja
  • +9999..
  • Here maps... Could there be even more terrible name ?
  • Cue the hate for the name which has no bearing whatsoever on the actual functionality of the software.....
  • People find something to moan about. Just click the icon and get over it.
  • Cue the hate, on the haters, who hate the new name.      Hate.
  • It's the map.
    It's the map.
    It's the map.
    It's the map.
    It's the maaaaap!
    All of you wilth little kids know what i'm talking about.  Right!  I wanna shoot Dora in the head.  Save me!
  • Yeah, but names need to be catchy for marketing reasons,,, but this doesn't even sound like it makes sense! It sounds stupid!
  • It could be called iMaps.  Because everything with a lowercase 'i' in front of it is immediately cool, right??
  • Nah. They should've called it uMap:)
  • Don't use it then if it offends you that much.
  • Worst name ever!
  • I kind of agree with you, and unless Nokia will use Here for cut down non branded versions. 
    Otherwise, why not take the credit for their own generosity. 
    P. S. I and no I'm not "hating", I switched to Nokia because of all their good work for wp8
  • Just even more reason for me to get the red HTC 8X on Verizon instead of waiting for the mythical "Nokia Laser" to arrive.
  • Here maps works here in the Netherlands, but unfortunately Here drive doesn't
  • Have been using Mango Transit with great sucess up to now but I'm glad to see Nokia/Here Transit finally come to the 8X.
  • Two apps not available at least on the htc 8x in Netherlands... Says the apps are not available for that device. Same goes for drive beta. What gives?
  • Yeh I got the same problem, also on the 8x and living in the Netherlands.. Might have to give it some time.. :(
  • Yeah. Isn't available for Portugal also. 8(
  • Key info is missing from the article: "available to all Windows Phone 8 users in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the U.K., and U.S."
    according to the Windows Blog.
  • The HERE Maps are downloadable and useable, if you change the regional settings. The transit app on the other end gives a sim-card error..
  • Thanx for this useful bit of info! Hope they add this in the article.
  • I'm in Beirut, Lebanon (phone purchased in Dubai)  and I'm all 'Here'd' out...all my mappings updated to HERE.
  • There is no HERE maps for all WP 7.8, right?
  • HERE maps is Nokia maps - just a name rebrand, primarily.
  • I know that, I'm just wondering if these apps are now available for other wp7.8 phones too, or only other wp8 phones.
  • Found the maps a bit laggy, funny considering it is the same as the stock maps app on my 8X.
  • Highly doubt the stock mapp and here(nokia) maps are the same thing on the 8x, it isn't on the nokia so no reason for it to be the same on 8x. 
     
    You can easily tell, go find directions to anywhere.  The stock map will lety you see the map as you go and also the directions list, nokia maps does not.  So the stock map is Bing maps. 
     
    WHo knows i could be wrong since i dont have an 8x, but im certain i am correct here.  This is assuming i am interpreting your m essage correctly
  • Its the same map data shared between Maps, Here Maps and Here Drive and Here Transit. Just a different feature set to that specific app. In brief test, built maps on 8x found directions faster than Here Maps, but that isn't conclusive.
  • Built in maps are way faster then Nokia maps, and I have a Nokia 920.
  • Good luck if you live in the Washington dc area. No metro support.
  • I am using Nokia Drive with my Samsung Focus. Works well.
  • How?
  • It's a Focus... most probably hacked to hell and back or a custom ROM
  • I am using a custom 7.8 ROM from XDA and Nokia Drive 3.1.0.3206! Sucks I cannot get HERE Drive. I guess I will wait for someone to release the xap.
  • Can anyone tell..what all Nokia apps are available for non nokia devices? I was able to install Nokia Pulse Beta on my HTC 8x as well !!
  • @Sam Is it just rebranding or have they changed anything feature wise? No changelog as usual.
  • Besides the branding, the most obvious change is that all apps integrate with the HERE cloud. For now it's basically meaning your favorites get synced across all apps/devices. But could be a lot more in the future. Few new things here and there. Nothing major though.
  • Is there any difference between here maps and Bing maps that comes standard?
  • Here Maps doesn't have the local scout button...the map data is the same.
  • Hi this is Pino from the HERE team. There are many differences actually.
    First of all, HERE Maps has a "places nearby" feature, which is similar to local scout if you need it.
    But most importantly, HERE Maps offers turn-by-turn walk navigation, favorites sync with here.com and the other HERE experiences, transit information with more options in HERE Transit and much more.
  • Thanks for the information.
  • Just noticed that when I upgraded my Nokia Maps+ Beta is now Here Maps Beta.  No more plus.  Was this a downgrade?
  • Thanks Nokia from an 8X owner. I'll forgive the crappy name since beggars can't be choosers.
  • I'm sure there is some underlying cause of the name change but I can't say it excites me. I'm a big fan of Nokia and would have preferred they kept the name for their apps as well. 
  • Nokia is supplying mapping, navigation capabilities to many industries as well as competing smartphone platforms like Firefox OS, these industries will definitely hesitate in signing the deal with clear Nokia branding which will hurt the Navigation and mapping department of Nokia in which Nokia has invested Billions of dollars.
  • Nokia makes hardware, why would that have any bearing on an OS vendor. Then we also have the example of Google maps.
  • It does have a bearing while signing deals to become deafult mapping and navigation solutions on any platform, even Apple branded google maps as Apple maps til 2012.
    Its done to make sure that navigation unit has an individual existence and should survive even if nokia goes bankrupt due to lossed suffered from smartphone manufacturing.
  • Oh right. I forgot it was pretty much just "maps" on the iPhone, everyone I knew just called it google maps hah.
  • Nokia does NOT make only hardware. They have their own software department and to respond to you: they own Navteq. Do a little research about that. Google maps are useless without data connection. Nokia's Navteq maps on Drive are available to download on the device.
  • The map's Nearby feature is fairly useless in my region. I'm right in between about a dozen restaurants in Oslo, yet the closest one according to Here Maps is over a kilometer away. 192 meters according to Google Maps, which seems about right.
    Transit doesn't work here either. No listings for buses or streetcars or metros or anything. Another app has this info in realtime and it is also available online in various formats. But Transit doesn't pull in the feed apparently. Useless.
  • Personally I think this is a bad business move. Gives less reason for people to switch over, even if it could be seen as "brand advertising".
  • What you think doesnt matter, Nokia is making serious money with their navigation department, Nokia is supplying mapping, navigation capabilities to many industries as well as competing smartphone platforms like Firefox OS, these industries will definitely hesitate in signing the deal with clear Nokia branding which will hurt the Navigation and mapping department of Nokia in which Nokia has invested Billions of dollars. Hence, the Rebrand to HERE.
  • Just because Nokia shared their map/drive apps with HTC/Samsung, will not hurt Nokia.  Nokia will continue to dominate the WP marketshare regardless of which devices HTC/Samsung and other bring to Windows Phone.
     
    Bottom line, Nokia is out innovating (and out designing) the other oems - this is, and will always be, why Nokia will have the majority of the WP market.
  • Always is a strong term to use.
  • Yea buddy tripping
  • Nice, I see it as more of a replacement to Mango Transit rather than this transit Chicago app I've been using which is somewhat unfortunate. But it's free and I'm sure it'll get better over time.
  • Why nothing for 7.x users?
  • What?  You have Nokia Drive, Nokia Maps, Nokia City Lens, and Nokia Transit already.  So what if they don't change the name to HERE?
  • Shit! Now i start to really get pissed of at Nokia!
    After i upgraded to Here Drive + Beta on my Lumia 920, the app constantly crashes when i start it!
    Someone else out there experienced this??
    I have tried to restart the phone, uninstall the app, and reinstall....but it still crashes! The other Here-apps is ok, and works fine!
    Didn't anyone at Nokia tested this properly before releasing the upgrade!!!??? I hope you guys at Nokia have an upgrade to fix this problem quickly!
  • I get the same with transit, start's then shuts down
  • What an attitude! What country are you in? Why not contact Nokia politely and tell them. That way they can troubleshoot the issue and fix it faster.
  • Exactly what I was gonna say. It's a beta, tell Nokia.
  • Yes, i know it's a so called beta! And i already told Nokia!
    But i have every right to be pissed of, when my Lumia 920 suddenly which i payed a lot of money for, suddenly doesen't have a working app! Especially when Nokia tells all over their webpage that with this phone, you have turn by turn navigation included! It is totally unacceptable that a change of the name, will destroy the whole app!
  • Cry more kid.
  • +1
  • Pathetic comment!
  • I've been experiencing the same exact thing as you
  • I understand the rebrand, in the same way you google/bing it makes sense to have a look on here, find it here, what's here? etc..
  • While Nokia is an european company, it shouldn't prioritize some countries before another. It's forbidden AFAIK in the EU.
    Why they do so ?
  •  Why would it be forbidden to provide services in selected countries? That's just crazy talk.
  • Can you read ?
  • And why do most US companies prioritize US before Europe? Ha, I remember someone crying in comments under Deezer. "It says I can't use it in my country, but I live in the US, so how that's possible?" :P Sorry, but usa is not the center of the world.
  • Great. I bought a HTC 8x three days ago and am very excited for this. Unfortunatley i live in Austria so please keep the updates for the other markets coming. I can't wait. 
  • What's the sense in changing the name to HERE from Nokia? In case the whole hardware thing for Nokia crashes and burns it doesn't drag there software development down too?
  • I could use an HTC clock app right about now for my 920. =)
  • In the U.S. and got the apps. Just wish I knew the difference between Here Maps, Here Drive and the Bing map that came on my 8X.
  • All I have to say is wow.  I installed the updtate at work and made a couple stops on the way home. One thing I noticed about this app is it did not drive me into the traffic it would normally do. It avoided all the traffic bottlenecks and cut at least 12 minutes off my commute.  Really impressed.
  • BULLSHIT..!!!!
    WHY THEY ARE RELEASING THEIR INNOVATION TO COMPETITORS
  • Is it just me having problems with the accuracy of this app. I know it may be due to location but it was working with near 100% accuracy in positioning when I was living in Europe but now I'm in the East and its always 100-200 meters off. Yes I'm apparently diving,in the ocean right now. Anybody have this problem?
  • I am a bit confused. Is "Here Drive" going to be free for all other handset makers? While that is cool for these owners, wouldn't Nokia cut their own flesh? I mean, (free) Nokia Drive is one of the features that can really draw a lot of users towards a Nokia device, making the same app available for free for other devices (under a different name) could lower the incentive to get a Nokia Device. Not that I complain or whine (I am going to switch to Nokia in April) but it seems like weird business politics to me.
  • Hi everyone, I'm Pino from the HERE team and I would like to answer some questions.
    This exclusive offer is limited to 8 countries (US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain) but we are looking into ways to extend it to other countries. Stay tuned on blog.here.com or @heremaps to know more.
    if you would like to know more about HERE, I have a good read for you http://conversations.nokia.com/2012/11/13/here-the-next-generation-of-lo...
    We believe that the name is easy to remember and intrinsically connected with location. It's what you say when you see a map ;-) As an example, I'm in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress and around the venue I see a lot of "you're here maps"...
    HERE will stay and will propagate quickly to different OS and screens, from cars to smartphones.
    The HERE experiences won't be rolled out to Windows Phone 7, because they need, to work, the HERE platform powering Windows Phone 8. When we partnered with Microsoft, we built WIndows Phone 8 together to include the HERE platform.
    Some of you are unsatisfied with our Transit coverage: we are investing a lot in the location business and we are continously improving or extending the HERE experiences. In fact we have recently reached the number of 700 cities covered by HERE Transit!
    The reason why we are opening HERE to more Windows Phone 8 smartphones is explained at http://conversations.nokia.com/2013/02/26/here-maps-here-drive-and-here-...
  • Excellent app! As an ATIV S owner, I can now navigate the roads and locations better and...happier!
  • And who decided to go with the terrible HERE branding instead of sticking with Nokia?
     
    Nokia is a well recognized and respected name around the world, and importantly it is easy to pronounce and understand in most languages, even when 'mericans butcher it by saying "noh-kiya".
     
    On the other hand "HERE" meas nothing around the world, and the pronounciation of those letters is really differentiated and confusing.
     
    "Ovi" was light years ahead in terms of linguistics, and I understand it was recently dropped to resurrect the Nokia name in the western world as a hardware+services brand. I can't understand how colud Nokia abandon that idea so quickly and rebrand to the fugly HERE.
     
    I liked having "Nokia Nawigacja" and "Nokia Mapy" on my phone. What am I supposed to say to my friends now? That I am using "here mapy" (with the "e" pronounced like in "tele"), "hir mapy" or "hee-yaa mapy" now? That's crazy.
     
    What was your marketing department thinking?
     
  • I think I have answered your questions above... And fyi, it's going to be HERE Maps in Poland too.
  • Thanks for this post, even its a bad news for wp7 users like me! but im still hoping you will release it for wp7 too! :D
    nevertheless, good work to relaese it for other wp8 phones and answer some questions here, keep up the great work!
  • Has anybody else noticed if you type here.com in IE it launches the maps app?
  • Don't fear because Nokia is HERE... maps.