Finnish handset maker Nokia on Tuesday announced that its flagship navigation apps HERE Drive + and HERE Transit will made available to all non-Lumia Windows based smartphones in the coming days.
"With the global release of HERE Drive+ for all Windows Phone 8 devices we will further extend our HERE business and deliver on our promise of making HERE experiences available for as many people as possible. The more people are using our location offering the better it will get for everyone," said Thom Brenner, vice president, Windows Phone applications, HERE.
"At the same time this release also demonstrates our commitment to further strengthen the Windows Phone ecosystem with our maps assets," he added.
Currently, only Nokia's Lumia series phone owners enjoy free services of HERE Drive and Transit apps which give voice based turn-by-turn navigation assistance as well as offline maps support. However, users will be charged a premium fee if the they choose to upgrade from local navigation license to global. [For more information, Click Here]
In a few days time, users of Samsung Ativ series and HTC 8S and 8X series Windows based phone in select markets will also get to experience the feature-rich navigation apps of Nokia.
Along with the launch, Nokia will also be releasing the new updates for the HERE Drive and HERE Transit apps which are already installed in Nokia Lumia devices.
The HERE Drive+ update includes a new innovative feature 'My Commute' that takes note of the user's regular driving. When faced with traffic jam, it recommends alternate directions to the driver based on live traffic reports.
On the other hand, the HERE Transit app is said to come with a simplified and visually enriched interface with panoramic view to make it easier for the user to plan their destination routes. The app can store previously travelled routes and favourite destinations for easy access. The app will also be helpful to tourists as it comes with guides to locate the nearest local public transit ports such as bus stops, local rail stations, and airports.
