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Amazon takes Maps API out of beta, cautiously steps out of Google's shadow
If Amazon has its way, Google Maps on your Kindle Fire won't be the default option for much longer. Back in September, the online retail giant introduced a beta version of its Amazon Maps API to see if it could go the Apple route by fleshing out its own maps platform. Now it's ready to take the API out of beta after several months of testing and a lot of developer interest -- Hipmunk, Evernote, Trulia and Zillow have already integrated it into their Kindle Fire apps. The API currently features interactive maps and customized overlays, and is now a part of the Amazon Mobile App SDK. It's early days yet for the mapping service and we're sure it doesn't have the bells and whistles of the one from Mountain View, but this does mean a further step toward differentiation from the Big Goog. Let's just hope this turns out better than iOS6 Maps and no one comes to regret it.
Nokia cops to powering Amazon's mapping service
Well, Amazon is being pretty tight lipped about the details of its mapping service, but Nokia isn't afraid to spill the beans. A spokesperson for the Finish company, Sebastian Kurme, told The Next Web that Amazon is indeed licensing the Nokia Location Platform for its latest Google-shunning product. We reached out as well and were fed the exact same official statement, confirming that Nokia is becoming an even bigger player in the mapping sphere. The platform is already the basis for Yahoo! Maps and a large portion of Bing's offerings as well. Not to mention Nokia Drive, the company's navigation software, is one of the crown jewels of the Windows Phone world. Check out the full statement from Nokia below. Amazon is licensing the Nokia Location Platform (NLP) for maps and geocoding. The Nokia Location Platform is the most advanced mobile location platform with a unique global footprint. It provides maps for almost 200 countries (with more than 100 of them navigable) and provides the best, automotive-grade map quality based on industry-leading technology and more than 20 years expertise in mapping. Amongst others, it is already powering Yahoo Maps, and increasingly also powering Bing Maps as well. Location is playing a central role in our strategy, and because of its global footprint, quality and completeness of performance (geocoding, routing, traffic) the Nokia Location Platform offers great opportunities for 3rd parties to build upon. Amazon´s decision to choose the Nokia Location Platform is further proof point that our competence in this space is a key differentiator also for other leading players in the industry to offer great location consumer experiences.
Amazon Maps API enters beta as retailer weans itself off Google
Well, that's one more option to Google's mapping service and one less company paying data dividends into the Mountain View system. Apple has already left Big G to develop its own platform and now Amazon is going the same root with Amazon Maps API. With the debut of the Kindle Fire HD, the dot-com bubble survivor is working hard to build out its own ecosystem with as little reliance on others as possible. While it will continue to count on Google, at least indirectly, for its tablet OS, most other traces of the Brin and Page powerhouse have been erased. The new, in-house developed map service is still young and may lack some of the more advanced features Google customers enjoy, but it does provide the basics -- interactive maps and customized overlays. The API is designed to play nice with Android's existing location-based API, but it's unclear if the ease of transition will be enough to convince devs to take a chance on Amazon's offering. Those who remember A9, the online retailer's doomed search portal, will be forgiven for wondering if the Fire maker can really compete with Google on its home turf. If you're a curious dev you can sign up for beta access at the source link.
