Waze, a popular direction and travel app, is seeking Windows Phone users to take part in its beta program ahead of its launch on the platform. Waze is popular as it solicits real-time information from its users to help other driver guarantees avoid traffic, accidents, and other road issues.
That it is heading to Windows Phone is good news for Windows Phone users, but also for the Windows Phone platform, as it brings another app popular on rival platforms to its shores. On Windows Phone, both Bing and Nokia have produced competing applications to provide drivers with real-time directions.
As BetaBeat notes, simply applying for the beta does not guarantee a spot in it. Instead, interested users are to apply for a slot at waze.centercode.com. Waze appears excited by the coming beta period and launch:
As some of you may have heard, a new version of Waze is soon to be available for Windows Phone devices. We are now opening a beta program for Windows Phone users and we’d like you to join!
Windows Phone has broached the 100,000 app mark, but still lacks a great number of apps that iOS and Android sport, and that mobile users demand. It has been a grind for Microsoft to deliver new developers to its platform, given that its handset install base is quite smaller than on competing mobile operating systems.
Still, Windows Phone now sells handsets. Nokia, the largest Windows Phone OEM moved 5.6 million handsets running the operating system in the first quarter of 2013. However, even with those figures, the platform is firmly in third place. More apps like Waze need to make the leap to Windows Phone
Top Image Credit: Vernon Chan
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