Nokia’s HERE is here for iOS – a free offline maps and navigation app

The HERE app for offline navigation, maps, traffic, and public transit is now back on the Apple App store after it was taken down at the end of 2013. Nokia claimed that it was largely due to the changes made in iOS 7 that didn’t go down too well with HERE. It’s all water under the bridge now as the app is now is better than ever, and it even supports the iOS 7 that broke it.

HERE app on iOS brings similar features as many of the freely available map applications but I feel the most important factor is the ability to download maps for offline use. Google Maps and Waze do download map data but you can’t fully use them in offline mode, and the data that is downloaded is only for a specific area. With HERE, users can download maps for an entire continent, an entire country, or when the options are there, can even download specific states within a country.

HERE has options for voice navigation, route planning with information taken from live traffic status, as well as public transit (for those who use public transportation) to get people around. This is quite impressive as HERE is trying to do that without charging a monthly subscription or a payment for the app. Meaning, HERE for now is completely FREE. Anyhow, let’s have a quick run-through of the app and some of its features. You might want to download the app first to have a better grasp of what’s to follow.

The app interface consists of 7 different buttons/options that can be seen on the first screen of the app (called the Map view). The very top of the app consists of the Menu button on the extreme left, followed by the Search field located right in the middle (right under the time), then just to the right of it is the Navigate button, and finally on the far right is the button that gives access to Collections (the icon with the 2 stars with one overlapping the other). The map area itself contains the Compass button (placed right below the Collections button), a button to locate or reset to the current position (found at the bottom left corner), and the Layer button at the bottom right corner. The Menu button contains shortcuts to all options including switching to Maps or Drive mode, Collections, Use app offline, Download maps, Settings, Feedback, as well as the About and Sign out buttons.

As soon as the app is launched, users can skip the account creation process and start using the maps. Users can start to navigate to anywhere but the map that is downloaded will only include the data of the start point, the endpoint, and all the surrounding areas between them. If more data is needed, HERE will download as the user progresses. With this online method, users will be forced to use mobile internet for map downloads, and in places where there are no connections, HERE would not be able to provide further information. This method can work but it defeats the purpose of having an offline feature.

The best way to get started is of course to sign up for a HERE account, and then proceed to download a map (preferably while connected to a Wi-Fi network). The account will save/bookmark your saved locations, called Collections, on HERE servers and sync them across all connected devices. Maps to other countries can also be downloaded but users will have to wait for the downloads to be finished before proceeding to other sections as the app is still not good with handling them in the background. This next step is optional, but you can change the voice used for the navigation if you want. You can select one of the 5 regular-quality voices (by default it is set to English – US), or if preferred, download one of the 12 hi-fi voices (which take nearly 10x the space of the regular ones, and these come in 6 languages in both male and female voices). Once that is done, the app is now ready to be literally taken out for a spin.

Navigation can be initiated in a few ways:

• First one is by searching for a destination using the Search field, selecting the correct location from the results, and then tapping on the Navigate button in blue that comes up at the bottom right corner. Tapping the button will bring up options for Drive, Walk, as well as info on Transit (public transportation). Users can turn off any of the route options if they want (and these will be turned off until the they are manually turned back on) by using the gear-like button on the right. Future search results will show the excluded route options but this is just as a reminder. If a user decides to turn off both Transit and Walk options, the results list will instead show 3 different Drive options and, if the app has internet access and is not in offline mode, it will also include the delay time for each route due to traffic congestion.

 

• The second way is to tap directly on the Navigate button from the Map view. This will open up the From and To fields, show Route options (and as with the previous method; if all navigation options have been included or if any has been excluded), as well as recently used destinations/locations. The From field will be automatically filled up with users’ current location, and the To field call be filled up with a search or with something that was recently used. There’s also the option to swap the fields if necessary.

 

• Third option is to go directly to Collections, either from the Map view screen or from the Menu option, and then select a pre-saved location.

 

• The last one takes a bit more effort but users can precisely navigate to a point on the map. Users will simply have to zoom in to a location on the map, tap and hold on either the road or the sides, to bring up the blue point marker (will be yellow if the selected point is already in Collections), and tap on the Navigate button to go there.

The bookmarked locations that are saved in Collections are the easiest and the fastest way to navigate to a regularly used location. Apart from within the HERE app, Collections can also be accessed via a web browser by logging in to here.com; this will work on a desktop or a mobile device. To add to Collections, users will have to pick a point on the map (get there first by searching or moving to it using the zoom in/panning function), press and hold on the map to bring up the blue marker, and then tap on it to bring up the Share and Collect options. Tap on the latter to add the location to Collections. An interesting point to note here with pointing to a location is that HERE will also display the exact address of that point, right down to the house or unit number if present. Users with addresses or points of interests that they already know in distant parts of Malaysia or even the world, can add them beforehand and use them once they have arrived there. This is particularly useful for planning ahead for a holiday abroad even if you’ve never been there before.

The green marker, normally seen at the centre of the Map, shows the current location of the user. If the user is indoors or when there’s no GPS connection, the marker will have a bigger light green circle around it to show that the app is using network towers and Wi-Fi to provide an approximate location. To get a much better fix on the location, users will need to step out to a open sky or will need to turn on the GPS on the iOS device (Settings > Privacy > Location Services).

HERE map supports many different types of gestures on the touch screen that are commonly used in an iOS device, and many different types of views and notifications. These include the two-finger pinch/expand to zoom in/out, one finger swipe to pan and move the map around, two-finger twist to rotate the map, a two finger up swipe to tilt to a 3D view and back down down again for a normal map view. Using the Layer button, users can view maps that are overlain with either a Satellite image, and/or with either Transit, or Traffic data. As mentioned previously, these data are just overlays and have no impact to routing when turned off. Users will still get traffic information when choosing the Drive option, and will still be able to get the necessary data when using the Transit or Walk option to get around. The map will also switch to day or night modes according to the time but can be set to a single one if prefered so. For notifications, the app is capable of providing speed limit warnings using audible tones as well as visual alert on the speed indicator, but these can be tweaked to warn only when over limit by a certain degree, or turned off completely if necessary.

All these features make HERE maps an incredible navigation tool, and it’s even more so since it’s being given away for free. HERE is now available for all major mobile platforms including Android, Windows, Amazon, and Tizen. HERE is also available on Vuzix glasses, and in cars. HERE claims that 4 out of 5 cars with in-dash navigation in North America and Europe come with its maps and navigation systems. HERE is also the supplier for the maps found on Garmin devices.

HERE for iOS can be downloaded now from the App Store, and it works with iPhone, iPad, as well as iPod touch. For more info on HERE, especially if you’re looking for some pro tips, do head on over to the official HERE blog.

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