Google Maps on Windows Phone 7

[Al Gross]

Purchased the new Windows Phone today (HTC Surround).  Google maps for either version 2 or 3 work somewhat.  However, pinch to zoom and slide to move the map do not work with the new phone.

 

The phone supports Microsoft maps natively but they are not as good as Google maps.  Also, I didn't see a street view equivalent on Microsoft maps.

 

Does anyone know if Google plans on picking up support for maps on the Windows Phone?  There is a good opportunity for Google maps on Windows Phone.

 

 

Thanks,

Al, www.itouchmap.com

[Thor Mitchell (Google Employee)]

I can't speak to the plans of the Google Maps team, but as far as the
Maps API is concerned we can not support Windows Phone 7 (or any other
mobile O.S. for that matter) until the browser on these devices
implements touchstart, touchmove, and touchend events as discussed
here:

http://www.quirksmode.org/mobile/advisoryTouch.html

Without that we have no way of determining when a user is dragging a
map with their finger. Right now all such drag actions scroll the page
on Windows Phone 7 and there is no way for a JS application to be
notified of this user interaction, cancel the default response (the
page scroll) and respond accordingly.

We would like to support Windows Phone 7, and as soon as the browser
offers these events (and meets the other requirements that we test
for) we will support it.

Many thanks,

Thor.

[Al Gross]

Thor,

 

Thank you for the quick reply.

 

I have implemented something that looks pretty good. If you have a WIndows Phone 7 check out

 

http://www.wp7map.com/test.htm 

 

The way I implemented it is if the windows phone is in the portrait mode then the map is displayed.  Touch a position on the map to move around.

 

If you switch to landscape mode then a street view is displayed of the point.

 

I did notice one problem...

 

For some reason the 'Powered by Google' logo is blanked on both the map and the street view. The logo displays OK on a PC but not the Windows Phone 7.  I am using the HTC Surround WP7.

 

Thanks again,

Al

[Andrew Leach]

On 10 November 2010 07:58, Al Gross <a...@infosports.com> wrote:
>
> I have implemented something that looks pretty good. If you have a WIndows
> Phone 7 check out
>
> http://www.wp7map.com/test.htm
>
> The way I implemented it is if the windows phone is in the portrait mode
> then the map is displayed.  Touch a position on the map to move around.

I like this, very much! I use an HTC 7 Mozart.

A couple of suggestions, if I may? I realise it's a test, but since
you have the domain you do...
- Add a search button for the map (perhaps between your zoom-out and
zoom-in buttons) so that it's easy to recentre the map. Not everyone
is in Pittsburgh.
- Don't add an ordinary pointer to the map if the Streetview pegman is
to go on top of it.
- Add "Forward" and "Back" buttons to Streetview so that we can
progress down a street as well as look round and zoom.

I can confirm the Google logo is entirely white in the mobile browser.

It would be really nice to be able to pan the map with a swipe.
Hopefully Microsoft will update the browser to enable the events
necessary for that.

[Al Gross]

Thanks Andrew for the suggestions. I was so happy last night to find out that you could sense the position (portrait/landscape) of the WP7 I wanted to get an example up ASAP.  I will be developing a site around the domain name (wp7map.com).

 

I checked the "forward" "back" and it appears that the linksControl option does not work properly when displayed on the WP7.  I checked one of the sample (simple streetview) and it does not appear there as well.

 

So there are two problems (excluding the "pinch to zoom") for the WP7...

 

1.)  "Powered by Google" logo Whited out.

2.)  linksControl option true does not display .

 

Regards,

Al