Slashdot Mirror
Once Pro-Microsoft, Here Maps Drops Support For Windows 10, Windows Phone (here.com)
An anonymous reader points us to a blog post at Here website: Here Maps has announced that it will be pulling its mapping and navigation service from the Windows 10 store on March 29, 2016. The parent company, Here, also announced that it will limit the development of the apps for Windows Phone 8 to critical bug fixes. In a blog post, the company wrote, "We've been developing mobile maps applications for about 10 years, since the first smartphones came with GPS. As the market evolves, we keep in step by introducing our apps for new operating systems while stopping support for others. Back in 2014, Here was one of the few divisions at Nokia that Microsoft hadn't acquired in its multi-billion dollar deal. Since then, the mapping and navigation service has been aggressively expanding. Once exclusively available to Nokia and Microsoft-centric platforms, Here Maps is now available for Samsung's smartwatch, Android as well as iOS. "You cannot be delusional about this one. HERE Is a huge loss for the Windows Phone community," tweeted long-time Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrott.
i know people who bought a nokia phone just for here maps. it was cheaper than buying a device from garmin or tomtom. this is a proper blow for the platform.
Windows Phone has it's own (robust) built in mapping system. Not sure why somebody would want a third party map service. Been using Windows Phone forever, and never heard of this company before.
I don't respond to AC's.
One of my clients issued me with one of the Nokia Winphones; it's OK although the UI is less refined than an iPhone or my Android.
(To save your alarm settings you click on an icon of an old floppy disk...wtf???) my kids certainly did not find it attractive...
The integrated Edge browser sucks on most sites...and the inbuilt GPS is so poor that even though (amazingly) Waze is about the only useful app available for it, it's effectively useless.
The integration with Office, Outlook etc however is superb.
But...where are the apps? Apart from Waze virtually no apps I find useful are available.
Microsoft, why are you prepared to piss away billions on dumb projects but then not use your cash pile to go after this segment in a less half-assed way? To break the iOS / Android duopoly you need to spend big. ....
1. Google gives away Android; pay OEMs to install Winphone 10 or whatever the heck it is called these days. Better still, launch a bunch of cheapo but secure smartphones for India, China etc. and reposition Nokia as a premium brand. Bribe Bose and others to bring out high-end speakers and shit for the hipsters. Throw in a custom connector while you're at it for added "cool". But make the battery replaceable and include an SD card slot on "neckbeard" models.
2. Many of us recall the Zune and WinCE fiascos where plenty of devs got royally fucked-over. Don't give away dev kits; PAY PEOPLE CASH to take them; bonus cash when the app is published, real large cash payment if it hits the top 100.
3. Kick start the process by bribing the top 100 Android and iOS app devs to port to Winwhateverthefuckitscalledthesedays
4. Make the devices really secure and include online upgrades for life. No ifs, no buts, no exceptions. If the FBI gets tough, relocate to Ireland and save a bundle on tax like Pfizer just did.
5. With your new secure platform, give away a decent chunk of end to end encrypted storage and mail
6. Now that Goole has EOL Picasa, develop a clone, make it free, tightly couple with phone
7. Finally have an import / merge contacts tool that WORKS!
8. Bribe the crap out of the car manufacturers to provide them with in-car systems that run Winwhatsitcalled. Buy a few big OEMS who make car infotainment and control systems while you are at it.
Profit!