HERE Maps (app)
The current HERE app for mobile devices | |
Developer(s) | HERE Maps B.V. |
---|---|
Initial release | 10 December 2014 |
Stable release | 1.1.10104 (Android), 1.1.2 (iOS) / 3 February 2016 , 2 February 2016 |
Development status | Active |
Operating system | Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Samsung Gear S2, Samsung Gear S, Tizen |
Available in | English |
Website |
here |
HERE is a mapping mobile application originally developed by Nokia for Android, iOS and Windows Phone platforms. After being native to Windows Phone for a few years, the app was released to the Google Play and iOS stores through late 2014 and early 2015. Maps are updated on a bi or tri-monthly basis.[1]
HERE was released to the Google Play store on 10 December 2014 and to the iOS store on 11 March 2015.
Availability and compatibility
As of June 2015, the HERE app is available as a free app in 118 countries and territories across the world for the Android, iOS and Windows Phone platforms.[2]
On 29 August 2014, HERE was also launched for the Samsung Gear S, which utilises the HERE for Gear app specifically made available for Samsung devices.[3]
On 3 September 2015, HERE announced that its app would be available for the Samsung Gear S2 when the smartwatch is released later this fall.[4]
HERE for Android requires Android Jelly Bean version 4.1 or higher
HERE for iOS devices requires iPhone 4S with iOS 7 or higher
HERE maps is also available for Tizen mobile phones Samsung Z1 and Samsung Z3.
Features
Offline maps
HERE can download maps of countries to the internal storage of the respective device. In addition to map browsing, users can also search for places, plan routes and utilise turn-by-turn navigation without incurring any mobile data costs. Switching back from 'Use app offline' to 'online usage only' provides live traffic data and additional venue information.[5]
Venue maps
HERE also contains a range of indoor venue maps for large indoor venues such as shopping malls, airports and other public places. These offer multi-level building navigation in three dimensions, giving the user access to the destination/information they require for a particular place.[6]
Street view
Street level views are available on Windows platform and on defunct Yahoo! Maps site for some countries including United States, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Finland and United Arab Emirates.[7]
Country or territory | Continent | Year added | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
United States | North America | 2014 | Firstly available on Yahoo! Maps, low and high quality images available for many cities |
Finland | Europe | 2014 | Firstly available on Yahoo! Maps, low quality images |
France | Europe | 2014 | Firstly available on Yahoo! Maps, low quality images |
Spain | Europe | 2014 | Firstly available on Yahoo! Maps, low quality images |
United Kingdom | Europe | 2014 | Firstly available on Yahoo! Maps, low quality images |
United Arab Emirates | Asia | 2015 | Firstly available on Yahoo! Maps, high quality images |
Future coverage
Continent | Countries listed on HERE's site[8] |
---|---|
Africa | |
Asia | |
Europe | |
North America | |
Oceania | |
South America |
Turn-by-turn navigation
HERE provides turn-by-turn navigation in both offline and online modes. Users can enter a destination address or landmark/business name and directions and distance to the destination are automatically calculated by the app. Real-time traffic data (where available) is also factored and a prediction made on arrival time to the destination.[9]
HERE used to provide text-to-speech "Hi-Fi" navigation voices on Android, but eliminated them to focus on "bringing a larger variety of good quality voices instead of handful of Hi-Fi voices.".[10] On 17 August 2015, HERE announced that navigation voice 'Surfer Dude' was made available in the HERE iOS app with the Android app to receive the update in the near future.[11]
Public transport directions and pedestrian navigation
Public transport data is also automatically pulled by the HERE app whilst planning a route, for transport options such as buses and trains. This is made available simultaneously with pedestrian (walking) data, enabling users to select the transportation mode. Time and distance estimates are also provided (as is the case with driving navigation).[12]
Full transit information is available in Switzerland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, The Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan and Ukraine,[13] and partial support for transport directions in other countries.[14]
Real-time traffic and reversible lane traffic
As of June 2015, HERE has real-time traffic data available for 50 countries, such as the United States of America, Canada, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand. This data provides up-to-the-minute information regarding traffic conditions and incidents that may cause delays in a commuter's travels. Most recently, the countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bulgaria and Romania came onboard with live traffic data.[15]
In late June 2015, HERE added real-time traffic for reversible express lanes, across the United States of America and Europe.[16]
'Collections' and location sharing
HERE also has the ability for users to save the location and details of their favourite destinations as 'Collections'. Users are also able to manage their collections through renaming, editing and deleting. Access to the 'Collections' hub is straightforward in being present on the main tab under 'Maps' and 'Drive' within the HERE app itself.[17]
Within 'Collections' is the additional ability to share your saved or current location via a variety of methods. Users may do this using Glympse, or more traditional methods such as Google+, Facebook Messenger, email or Twitter.[18]
HERE for Android public beta
Initially the HERE app was announced as a beta only for select Samsung Galaxy smartphones on 29 August 2014.[19] The app was downloadable from 8 October 2014 from Samsung's Galaxy Apps Store.[20]
The first public release of the beta HERE app (across all of the Android platform) was initiated on 21 October 2014, as an APK download from the HERE.com website.[21] The reach of the HERE app was further extended through its availability in the Google Play store from 10 December 2014 onwards.[2]
On 12 February 2015, HERE shed its beta tag and became a stable release on the Google Play store.[22]
On 9 July 2015, HERE launched a new public beta of its Android app, thereby inviting members of the public to assist in testing the newest features. In turn, the provided feedback and user data will provide faster iterations of the stable build of the HERE app.[23]
Download statistics
HERE reached 1,000,000 (1 million) downloads on the Android platform a couple of weeks after launch, and after 12 weeks following its launch reached 2.5 million downloads.[24] In mid-February 2015, HERE had accumulated more than 3 million downloads for the Android version of its app.[22] In March 2015, HERE accumulated a total of 4 million downloads through the Google Play store alone.[24] As of 4 August 2015, HERE reached 5 million downloads for its Android app in the Google Play store.[25]
Previous iterations
Symbian^3/Belle
HERE was available on the Symbian^3 platform under the previous name, Nokia Maps. The latest, and the last, Version 3.09 included:
- Driving and walking turn-by-turn with international voice guidance
- Live traffic rerouting in some countries
- Live traffic visualisation on the map in some countries
- Third-party content such as ViaMichelin and Lonely Planet
- Social networking service integration
- Support for preloading street maps for offline use
- Users can report errors in the maps (from version 3.03 except on Nokia E66 and E71 models)[26][27]
- Local weather conditions by the hour and forecasts for the week
- Night View mod
- Satellite maps and terrain maps
- 3D buildings and 3D maps
- Public transport routing in some cities
- Saving of favourites
- City Lens (augmented reality) (Beta only)[28]
Nokia stated that the Nokia 808 from 2012 will be the last Symbian phone.[29] Symbian development has halted, therefore no new features for Nokia Maps are to be expected. Accenture is responsible for maintenance of Symbian and Nokia Maps until 2016.[28]
The supported phones are:
- Version 3.09 (12 November 2012, also called Maps Suite 2.0): only for Symbian Belle phones (500, 603, 700, 701, N8-00, E7-00, C7-00, C6-01, X7-00, E6-00)
- Version 3.08 (15 November 2011) and 3.07: supported on Symbian^3
- Version 3.06 (2 December 2010): Symbian S60v5 (N97, N97 mini, X6, C6-00, 5800XM, 5235 & 5230, etc.)
- Version 3.04 (20 May 2010): Symbian S60v3 FP2
Asha/S40
Maps for S40 were limited compared to other platforms. The maps were streamed online into the device or you can pre-download them with Nokia Suite. At some markets, the phones came with a SD card with preloaded local maps. They don't have turn-by-turn navigation and you can only plan pedestrian routes max. 10 km (6 miles) long with them. As none of Asha series phone had GPS, positioning is done by Cell ID of the cellular network or by using the Wi-Fi positioning system.
See also
References
- ↑ "HERE updates maps worldwide for Android, iOS and Windows". HERE 360.
- 1 2 "HERE for Android now available for free on Google Play". HERE 360.
- ↑ "HERE for Gear: apps inbound for Samsung Tizen". HERE 360.
- ↑ "HERE says hello to the new round-face Samsung smartwatch". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Offline navigation really matters if 500 MB of data costs a week in wages". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Get inside Venue Maps – now on HERE for Android". HERE 360.
- ↑ "HERE Maps Street View Levels to the UAE". TechView.me.
- ↑ "here.com vehicles drive schedule". here.com.
- ↑ "Turn-by-turn navigation with HERE for Android: The basics". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Getting vocal about HERE spoken navigation". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Surfer Dude, a fan-favorite HERE navigation voice, is back". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Using HERE for Android to get around with transit and on foot". HERE 360.
- ↑ "HERE expands city-to-city transit coverage to 14 countries". HERE 360.
- ↑ "HERE Maps". here.com.
- ↑ "50 countries with HERE Real Time Traffic, and counting". HERE 360.
- ↑ "HERE adds reversible lanes traffic to Android, iOS and more". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Managing Collections with HERE for Android and iOS". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Sync, share and plan routes with Collections on HERE for Android". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Android fans rejoice: HERE for Samsung Galaxy smartphones". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Getting started with HERE for Android: the basics". HERE 360.
- ↑ "HERE for Android unleashed on more smartphones!". HERE 360.
- 1 2 "HERE for Android updated and improved, leaves beta". HERE 360.
- ↑ "Announcing the HERE for Android Public Beta". HERE 360.
- 1 2 "It’s official – HERE is everywhere". HERE 360.
- ↑ Nokia Apps LLC. "HERE Maps – Android Apps on Google Play". google.com.
- ↑ "Map reporter FAQ".
- ↑ Rafe Blandford (6 April 2010). "Custom 3.03 version for Nokia E71 and Nokia E66". Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- 1 2 "Nokia outsources Symbian support which will continue until 2016". 4 October 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ↑ "Nokia Confirms The PureView Was Officially The Last Symbian Phone". Techcrunch. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2013.