Nokia Drive+ for ALL Windows Phone

[SVK]

Nokia

MS and Nokia have made their turn-by-turn navigation app, available for free to all Windows Phone 8 customers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. The app remains in beta as the team fine tunes the customer experience. In the meantime, you can access full turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation, offline maps, speed limit warnings, and conveniences such as day and night modes.

I guess its only for WP8, and may or may not be available for WP7 (WP7.5/WP7.8). I really hope it is available for WP7.

Good move by MS and Nokia anyways!

 

[manu1991]

Good move from microsoft. I am not sure how Nokia gains from it. Nokia drive was a huge differentiating factor between nokia and other windows phones. Now it basically means that hardware is going to be the only differentiator between windows phones.

 

[Technoholic]

Nokia's location service unit gains it most. Any mapping service needs users base for rich database. Also real time database such as traffic, transport layers are largely dependent on no. of active users at that point of time. So user base is a huge assets and Nokia made it clear in past that they want to bring Nokia maps to other platforms too for this reason. For a same reason, Nokia mapping service now powers Bing, Facebook, Yahoo, BMW, Volkswagen, Hyundai. Its now on iOS too. It was inevitable that service would come to WP. More ever, Microsoft has disabled turn by turn assistance from Bing maps on WP8 so Nokia has no competition on the platform.
Too differentiate, they already have decent app suite which is ever expanding along with camera capabilities under Pureview brand name. Even if we limit discussion to location services, they have Nokia transit, Nokia city lens like exclusive apps which complete the experience of location services.

PS:
Just read some comments on WP store for this app. Some read Looks great Nokia! Changing to five stars! Thank you Nokia on my 8X! I'll be buying a Nokia phone as soon as you get a high end Lumia onto Verizon!
There are far fewer shortcomings in the windows phone OS after this has been released. It is superb and better than other navigation apps I've used on WP8 (I.e. Navigon), and I didn't even have to pay for it! Nokia, your reputation just increased. If you bring a flagship to Verizon my next phone will be a Nokia.
and it all seems pretty clever strategy.
And they have cleverly retained the Nokia brand name on non nokia WPs while changed it to 'Here' on iOS.

 

[AbhishekMSharma]

So now that's one less reason to purchase a Lumia.

 

[Technoholic]

So now that's one less reason to purchase a Lumia.

And I do not even see point in purchasing non Nokia WP. Samsung and HTC hardly have any dedication towards platform and less number of devices, absolutely no marketing, 2-3 exclusive apps (but no utility) reflects their dedication. No doubt Nokia is already enjoying 70% WP market share (and 76% of WP8).

I thought HTC is serious about WP8 but now it seems they are just feeling lost between Android and WP. They have loosed 4% market share since WP8 devices launched even though Samsung and chinese companies were absent from scene and Nokia was sole competitor. I see no marketing from them in India too even though they were quick in launching WP8 here and they just lost good opportunity.

(all data from Adduplex- promotion network for WP which majors data from App usages)

 

[AbhishekMSharma]

But still HTC's flagship WP device stands out among all, right? Or am I wrong? Barring the camera and durability, it wins easily over 920 I guess.

 

[Technoholic]

HTC wins in terms of weight and compactness but Nokia's flagship has better and large display, wireless charging, touch can work with gloves (although not needed in India), a lot better camera with OIS and low light performance and of course nokia app and service suite which enhance the utility to great extend. also, they have tied up with third party developers and many games (including decent xbox titles), apps are exclusive to Nokia lumia series. they have something new to announce almost every week. That is why I said about dedication.Some reviewers actually preferred heft of Lumia 920 and trumped 8X in all departments. But its all about personal preference.

 

[AbhishekMSharma]

When Nokia Maps can turn non-exclusive so quickly, so I wonder how fast the other 3rd party exclusive apps will be available for other WPs.

 

[Technoholic]

Nokia maps and drive is not a third party app. Its Nokia's very own and so is Nokia city lens, transit, smart shoot, cinema graph, photobeamer, xpress browser etc and they would never come to non Nokias. There are many reasons behind why they launched it for other platforms and non Nokia WPs (as discussed above) but same doesn't apply to other Nokia apps. And THIRD PARTY Nokia exclusive apps will eventually come to other other WPs as they generally have time based exclusivity (mostly 3 to 6 months) but again Nokia will come up with new exclusive third part apps. Already, old exclusive apps are now available to othet WPs but almost every week, Nokia announce new exclusive game or app. Its never ending thing. EA and few others has already announced deal with Nokia and their big titles are coming exclusive to lumia WP8 devices.

 

[Sushubh]

https://imgur.com/MPQBddn

also important to remember is the fact that bing maps are now powered by Nokia. so microsoft no longer have their own mapping technology. and wider availability of nokia drive was probably part of that deal. nokia is getting the money from microsoft for this service in one way or the other.

this is also one of the many ways microsoft has tightened their control over nokia making it very hard for them to leave windows phone platform.