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Here Maps Ditches Windows Phone Support

Here recommends users switch over to the pre-installed Windows Maps app, which "contains many Here elements."

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Windows 10 mobile users who rely on the Here mapping app will soon have to find a new navigation solution.

Here, Nokia's former mapping and location business—now owned by European car makers Audi, BMW, and Daimler—is dropping support for Windows 10 and seriously limiting its Windows 8 efforts. All Here-branded apps will exit the Windows 10 store on March 29, and will no longer work on devices running Microsoft's latest mobile operating system after June 30. In addition, the Here team will only offer "critical bug fixes" for its Windows 8 apps in the future, according to a post on the Here blog.

The move comes just a few months after Here first brought its apps to Windows 10. The company said it was able to do so using a "workaround that will no longer be effective after June 30."

"To continue offering the Here apps for Windows 10 would require us to redevelop the apps from the ground up, a scenario that led to the business decision to remove our apps from the Windows 10 store," the team wrote.

The company recommended that users switch over to the preinstalled Windows Maps app, which "contains many Here elements." Microsoft developed the app using the Here platform, and with assets it received from Here back in 2014.

If you have a smartphone running Windows Phone 8, the Here apps will continue to work "without any disruption," the company said. However, the Here team will no longer develop new features for the platform.

Meanwhile on the mapping front, Google is making it a little easier to find ride-sharing services from its navigation app. Now, when you search for directions using Google Maps on your mobile device, you'll see a dedicated tab with information for ride services alongside the existing car, transit, walking, and biking options.

Google is also adding some new providers, in addition to its current "global ride service partner" Uber: 99Taxis for those in Brazil, Ola Cabs in India, Hailo in the U.K. and Spain, mytaxi in Germany and Spain, and Gett in the U.K. The new ride services tab will arrive on Android "over the next few days," and should be coming to iOS "very soon."

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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