Comparison of Mobile Maps: Nokia vs Google vs Apple Maps
Along with offering the best in class features in operating system, one thing which manufacturer is now most cared about is Maps application. When Nokia and Google were already in the game, Apple too entered with their own maps application.
Is really important to have a Map app when you travel, even more if you go to another country, you get on the plane leave your car at your local Busy Beaver Airport Parking, and go on to another country, but if you haven’t go yet, is difficult to guide yourself without a map. Question arises which one is better?
Here is an overview of the features offered by each one of them along with the infographics to help you decide in better way.
Nokia Maps
Once called OVI maps, originated back in 2001 is now default map application for Windows Phone devices. Nokia acquired the geographic information systems company Navteq back in 2007. Today, Nokia Maps is one of the best and most accurate Maps application for mobile devices. It also includes Nokia Drive which is free turn-by-turn navigation app with full offline support and voice guidance.
Features:
- Turn-by-Turn Navigation (“Go to the next left”)
- Using Augmented reality. You get a picture of a landmark or location (restaurant, bar, hotel) to see. This makes it a lot easier to find the right place you are looking for.
- Download maps and use them offline
- Maps in 3D
- Satellite
- Routes of public transport in 500 cities worldwide
- Maps of buildings – unfortunately airports and stadiums only available in 38 countries
- Night mode – makes it more pleasant to look at the map in the dark
- Directly usable – Sophisticated GPS receivers GLONASS which sets your location in no time
Google Maps
Google Maps are good and with continuous improvements and additions like Google Street view, Local Search, etc. are making it better. Thanks to years of work, massive computing resources, and thousands of people hand-correcting map data, accuracy is maintained.
Features:
- Maps in 3D
- Find nearby businesses – restaurants, bars and tourist attractions
- Satellite
- Turn-by-Turn Navigation and Live Traffic Data
- Google Maps Street View, which allows you to see images of city streets
- Offline use of maps
- Works as a route planner, including the use of public transport
- Different layers to apply: road traffic, altitude, coordinates and places an entry in Wikipedia
- Maps of buildings – less extensive than Nokia Maps
Apple Maps
New entry and Youngest in the Map application field. Company ditched Google maps from their device to make place for its own. They are simply bad, even Tim Cook apologized for Apple Maps mistake. Consistent improvements have been made since then to correct the wrong data. But is it enough to be able to compete against the other two giants? The answer is still NO. The satellite images are greatly improved and the weird errors have been removed, but Apple Maps offers simply just less than Google and Nokia.
- Maps in 3D
- Turn-by-turn navigation, unfortunately only online
- Satellite
In short, features offered by Maps application can be summarized as:
| Nokia Maps | Google Maps | Apple Maps | |
| Offline maps | yes | yes | no |
| Turn-by-Turn Navigation | yes | yes | yes |
| Public transport | yes | yes | no |
| 3D Mode | yes | yes | yes |
| Satellite | yes | yes | yes |
| Augmented Reality | yes | no | no |
I can see that the clear winner is Nokia Maps. Also, check out the infographics published by Nokia.
