Nokia on Friday said its mapping service, Here, will soon be available for all Windows 8.1 devices. The company's service is currently only available on the Lumia 2520, though that exclusivity is set to end as every Windows RT and Pro device will be able to download the mapping tech right from the Windows Store. While Windows 8 already comes with Bing Maps built-in, which is an excellent service in its own right, others might prefer Nokia's take on mapping.
Similar to other mapping services, Here Maps offers things like satellite and 3D imagery, navigation and directions, points of interest and the ability to use Here offline. Nokia said that the latest version of Here for Windows 8.1 is more comprehensive than the iteration available for Windows Phone 8, though improvements will likely arrive once Windows Phone 8.1 is released. One of the biggest improvements Nokia mentioned is that Here for Windows 8.1 is much faster.
In addition to a faster experience, Here for Windows 8.1 has been optimized for the mouse-and-keyboard, and high-resolution satellite imagery is also supported. The app will also keep track of your previous searches and routes, and load city pages more quickly thanks to tweaked optimizations.
Here Maps for Windows 8.1 will be rolled out to North American as a free download in the coming days, Nokia said.
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