Bing Maps Finds Its Way To The UK

Posted Friday 13th November 2009 by Craig H in SEO.

Bing Maps has arrived in the UK, sharing many features with the US Bing Maps which has been available for some time. The previous map service provided by Microsoft in the UK was powered by MultiMap (acquired in 2007), and presented a very different appearance and user experience compared to what is now available.

bing-maps

Bing Maps

Bing Maps now offers a new navigation set up, with three different map styles to choose from; the ‘clear and easy’ road map, a more complex ‘printed’ A to Z look and the classic Ordnance Survey. While Google Maps offers a very similar experience whichever global location you’re in, Bing Maps is clearly attempting to engage UK users with familiar map styles based on real world maps.

By hovering over a London tube station users can now see a popup detailing what public transport options are available. Users also benefit from being able to see nearby transport possibilities when a location or postcode is entered, as well as being able to view only Tube maps. Similarly, other nearby businesses or services can be identified. Searching for locations is the default, but users can switch to a business search with ease. The ‘My Places’ options allows commonly required locations to be stored.

Google Maps

As with many Bing features, the new UK Bing Maps will no doubt attract some new users, at least temporarily. The updated interface looks clean and is easy to use, and could be a refreshing change for those who are very familiar with Google Maps. It is another example of Bing’s continued march on Google, an indication of its stubborn ambition to replicate and indeed surpass the services offered by Google. It is has some way to go, however, as innovative and popular Google features such as Streetview will prove difficult to match.

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