Nokia’s HERE maps is finally available for Android, kicking off with Samsung Galaxy phones

Nokia has launched a beta version of its HERE maps and navigation app in the Samsung Galaxy Apps store, giving the smartphone maker a viable alternative to the wildly popular Google Maps.

The app is technically a beta build and, for now, exclusive to Samsung’s Galaxy-branded Android smartphones. It signals an interesting push from both parties; what’s left of Nokia from the Microsoft acquisition is no longer tied to Windows Phone, so this is clearly part of the firm’s push to broaden its market share; for Samsung, it’s a chance to reduce its dependency on Google’s services.

Nokia has also confirmed that it’ll be launching its HERE app for iOS and the broader Android ecosystem before the end of the year.

So why switch? The stand-out feature of HERE is the ability to download, for free, large parts of its digital maps for offline use. That includes full countries, much like TomTom, or OpenStreetMap-powered alternatives such as Skobbler (now owned by Telenav). While Google Maps does support offline maps, it’s usually limited to smaller areas – and sometimes not available at all.

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For a full rundown of how Nokia is developing HERE for mobile mapping supremacy, be sure to read our in-depth feature.

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➤ HERE [Galaxy Apps]