Google has become the leader in the world of navigation with its Maps app. While it faces competition from the likes of Apple Maps, it remains the most popular service in the market. But a new free service pioneered by Amazon, Meta and Microsoft could break new ground in mapping.
Overture Maps launches with data for 59 million regions
Overture Maps, a new mapping app developed by four technology companies, is finally open. The mapping service has released its first data as an alternative to Google Maps. More than 780 million buildings and 59 million regions are now available.
Designed by Meta, Amazon, Microsoft and TomTom, Overture Maps is open-source and free of charge. In other words, compared to Google Maps’ paid data sharing, it can be used for free by developers.
Google is preparing to take the user experience to the next level with a new feature planned to be added to the Chrome browser.
Overture Maps is partly built on OpenStreetMap data, an open source mapping project. Backed by TomTom, Europe’s largest navigation company, and Esri, Overture aims to be “the smartest map on the planet”. To this end, it wants to reduce dependence on Google Maps.
Opening Overture to all developers could usher in a new era in mapping. It could also help Microsoft improve its Bing Maps app. It could also reduce dependence on Apple and Google in this regard.
The Overture Maps Foundation was first launched in 2022 and will be a new competitor in this field when it publishes its first open map data.
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