Nokia set to bring some amazing new capabilities to its mapping apps with Windows Phone 8

Yesterday we saw a whole heap of data presented by Nokia covering hardware and services, with so much to go through some things were but touched upon. One such area was of Nokia's plans for maps and directions. We'd previously covered Nokia'south goal to maintain leadership in location so this segment was of corking interest.

During the keynote a much clearer insight into their plans for their location based apps coming in Windows Phone 8 was provided, and we call back there volition be some exciting advances heading to the platform. Indoor Maps, tighter integration of their electric current mapping apps and augmented reality improvements are all on the way.

When we heard from Nokia a few weeks back about their plans to become the "Where" company we also quizzed them almost the electric current suite of applications and how well those integrate with 1 some other. Currently in that location isn't any cantankerous over betwixt them, they all exist as split up entities.

They made it clear that they were looking to better those core experiences and in some cases combine features from one app into some other and link them more than closely by saving key data to the cloud. The keywords nosotros hear apropos their coming plans are "integrated suite" and their opening argument by Jo Harlow, Executive Vice President at Nokia, gave us the first insight into their plans:

"Going places, meeting people, taking the railroad train and driving, these are not discrete unconnected events. On the Nokia Lumia 920 powered by Windows Telephone 8, we're bringing together Nokia's location based applications to create an integrated suite of location services."

The presentation started with a look at their augmented reality app called City Lens , that app looks to be picking upwards some interesting enhancements. If we gander at the presentation, the names of the shops and places of interest are now accurately superimposed onto the buildings. The app is now aware of the buildings surface and renders correctly. The overall issue is much clearer and easier to interpret compared to the current floating labels.

City Lens Application - labels are now correctly mapped using perspective onto the surfaces of buildings

From that we moved onto their Nokia Maps application, during the presentation they state that it will have truthful offline capability. Nosotros doubtable that information technology will leverage the now deeply embedded "Where" platform to evangelize on this promise equally that has full offline mapping capabilities that all applications can now take advantage of. Their intention to showtime intelligently linking these currently disparate apps is then announced past Harlow:

"Because we have increased the integration between applications, when y'all have found a route in maps y'all can launch Nokia Bulldoze directly away for gratis vocalisation guided turn-by-plough navigation, right out of the box."

A nice case of leveraging Window Telephone viii's app-to-app advice technologies and certainly much more than useful than having to complete a re-route using some other app depending on your needs. Small-scale but of import changes to the way applications work with each other volition have a dramatic effect on overall user feel, so that will be a welcomed improvement.

Nokia Maps transition from map to augmented reality mode shown during demo

We reported yesterday that augmented reality is coming to Nokia Maps , nearly of usa accept issues with trying to determine the general management of what way we're walking. This looks to assist out with that past providing a heading too as places of involvement and fifty-fifty the route itself.

A dainty bear on that we promise doesn't pb to armies of people walking around in cities in AR mode finding their manner around. Implementation sounds directly frontwards enough, here's what Harlow had to say virtually the new feature in Nokia Maps:

"Once you take set the route in Nokia Maps, pull up the phone at any time to switch into augmented reality mode and see both the direction and the route equally well as the points of interest."

Nosotros now have official confirmation that voice guided turn by plow pedestrian navigation is also coming to Nokia Maps. This is pretty huge, beingness able to have our phones in our pocket whilst nosotros walk almost being guided along will exist really useful, saving on the endless glances at our devices.

Pino over at Nokia conversations has this to say about the new mapping features:

"If you accept a car, you can at present start Nokia Bulldoze vox guided turn-by-plough navigation directly from Nokia Maps. But well-nigh importantly, if you're on foot, you have now voice guided turn-by-plough pedestrian navigation also. Information technology is of import to highlight that our pedestrian navigation is specifically tailored to take into account footpaths, parks, stairs and all those areas that are only attainable on foot.."

Indoor Maps are coming to Windows Telephone 8

Nokia are heavily investing in indoor maps, we can already encounter them beingness used by their close partner Bing to show within shopping centers. The announcement confirms that they have every intention of bringing their indoor maps to Windows Telephone 8. The context in which they speak nigh it makes united states recall it'due south likely to be a integrated feel with their Transport app, equally Harlow continued:

"Transport not merely provides public transport departure times but as well route and walking directions, to get you between stops. And since nosotros're adding "Indoor Maps" on Windows Phone 8 nosotros tin can get you to exactly where y'all need to go within the train station or bus terminal."

Even though this part of the presentation was quite small we get a great feeling for what's coming from Nokia with Windows Phone viii and its formidable awarding suite. As well as tighter app to app communication between the dissimilar apps we'll get improved walking navigation with the AR mode in Nokia Maps and the addition of the invaluable indoor maps too. Pretty heady stuff.

Whilst this is currently all for Windows Phone 8, there is some good news for Windows Telephone vii users as well. The My Commute feature is going to become live in the coming months in Frg, Russia, United kingdom and Brazil. Likewise Nokia annouced they will presently be updating Nokia Transport soon.

We're keen to hear what you thought of the presentation. What got yous excited?

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/nokia-bring-new-features-and-better-integrated-suite-location-based-apps-windows-phone-8

Posted by: thomaspring1974.blogspot.com

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