For a while, I have known that Nokia has the best mapping and location business but I always wondered why they are not doing more to market it. Nokia Maps now rebranded HERE is much better than Google Maps and that one for the Fruit Company. Despite that it is Google Maps that most of us know or use. Yesterday, Nokia started the journey of telling Kenyans what an awesome product they have
According to Nokia, HERE offers Kenyan consumers, the most accurate, up-to-date and comprehensive maps and navigation services available in the local market.
The only automotive grade maps available for Kenya, HERE map data is field verified by a team based in-country. This is an enormous advantage over competitor map data, which is often purchased internationally and not regularly refreshed, or collected anonymously by users, but not verified. This approach globally has led to four out of every five integrated in-dash navigation systems being powered by HERE.
The local HERE team for Kenya is supported on ground by an extended community of volunteer experts that use the Map Creator app to make real time amendments to the maps. They add thousands of updates and new points of interest each year. This means that a temporary road closure in Nairobi can be easily shown with an alternative route until the road maintenance is completed, increasing the accuracy of the local maps.
Nokia Here covers 68,000 kilometers of road and 37,000 points of interest in Kenya, all field verified. What I like most, is the fact that once you have downloaded Nokia HERE, you can use it offline as the data is stored in the Nokia devices.
The other great feature is turn-by-turn voice guidance. The app can speak out loud in 60 different languages and provide directions for both pedestrians and road users in 74 different countries. While using the Map, the voice for example tell whether to turn left or right depending on the direction you are heading to.
HERE map data also provides a great opportunity for 3rd party applications that rely on location. So in Kenya, the location based application like Niko Hapa and travel blogs would find this interesting. I suggest the local developers should find a way to integrate Nokia Here …Time for Nokia to do the local customization of the maps . Well, in their own words, in so doing, HERE is able to create experiences that are meaningful and have an impact on the lives of people.
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