If you were born after 1990, you must believe this (the rest of us actually experience it). . . In the past, if you wanted to drive to an unfamiliar place, you had to get a physical map, use a mixture of Prior Wisdom and Common Sense to figure out what would be the easiest way to do it, either memorize it or write it down.
Nowadays, you can simply type in the call of a destination and immediately get a map showing the fastest address, as well as turn-by-turn directions to get there. These advancements, which predate the modern smartphone, were made imaginable thanks to a service called MapQuest.
In 1994, GeoSystems Global Corporation was formed from R. R. Donnelley’s mapping department, which included Barry Glick, Chris Heivly, and Perry Evans.
Two years later, the company adapted its code for online use and introduced MapQuest. Data such as typical road speeds were purchased from third-party companies such as Navigation Technologies (NavTeq) and updated several times a year.
At that time, the maps generated had to be published on paper in order to be portable. Driving commands could also be downloaded onto “advanced mobile phones” (which at the time were heavy and scarce) and private virtual assistants.
MapQuest didn’t need to alienate its existing user base, much of which was still superseded software like Internet Explorer 5 or Mac OS 9. In fact, MapQuest remained the most popular mapping service in the United States, with more than 50 million users per month. users and a 50% market share.
Later that year, Google stopped linking to MapQuest and Yahoo!Maps when users searched for position names, keeping only Google Maps. This gave Google enormous credit with new users who didn’t yet have a favorite.
In 2008, MapQuest four Mobile for BlackBerry was introduced, combining the features of the previous mobile site and Find Me app, and a new site for iPhone was introduced. That year also saw the arrival of the first Android phones, of course, introduced with Google Maps.
Later that year, MapQuest announced a dedicated online page for Android, as well as MapQuest 4 Mobile and MapQuest Navigator for iPhone. MapQuest 360 View was introduced to compete with Google Street View. Since BlackBerry is still the most popular smartphone in the U. S. In the U. S. , it looked like MapQuest is here to stay, at least as a competitor.
MapQuest attempted to create a social network with MapQuest Vibe/Local, based on user reviews; MapQuest Discover, which allows users to share images and lists of favorite places; and MapQuest Travel Blogs, but to no avail. Maybe the social media market was saturated at the time, or maybe the former users that MapQuest was looking to retain in the past weren’t the right audience.
MapQuest apps are limited to the U. S. and Canada. They use the U. S. and Canada (the site also works for the U. K. ) and, like Apple, incorporate professional reviews from TripAdvisor and Yelp. Map knowledge is provided through Here, created from NavTeq and Nokia.
TECHSPOT: tech enthusiasts, users, gamers
TechSpot is a registered trademark. About Us Statement of Ethics Terms of Use Privacy Policy Changing Consent for Advertising
© 1998 – 2024 TechSpot, Inc. All rights reserved.