Nokia Says It Will Release Here Maps on Android and iOS Soon

Nokia is working to soon release a free Here Maps app for Android and iOS to counter dominated mobile mapping services market by Apple and Google.

While the company had made it available to Windows and iOS devices previously, it interestingly had pulled the app from App Store in December - saying that the changes iOS 7 had introduced had harmed the user experience.

The Finnish firm has now announced it will soon release free mobile map apps for iOS again, as well as on Android. We've seen a glimpse of the Android version last week, when the company announced its partnership with Samsung to bring Here Maps (beta) to Galaxy devices for free, apart from powering the Navigator location app on the Tizen-based Samsung Gear S.

Speaking to WSJ, Nokia's executive Sean Fernback said that the apps are scheduled for release before the end of this year and it will include some features that Google Maps and Apple Maps lack.

"I'm convinced people are looking for alternatives," Fernback said. "Google Maps is a good solution for many-their maps work very well-but it has looked the same and done the same for a long time."

Apart from allowing users to download full maps for offline use, the apps will also enable users to search without an Internet connection, unlike Google Maps and its limited offline functionality, Fernback added.

The report adds that at present Nokia isn't planning any "immediate financial returns from the new map applications for Android and iOS" and wants to continue with its free model, as it "should generate more feedback to fine-tune Nokia's location engine."

"Nokia's main mapping business is geared toward corporate customers that pay licensing fees to use the digital-mapping platform, including auto makers and logistics-dependent businesses such as FedEx Corp. and Amazon.com," the WSJ report added.