App-Like Offering Provides Faster and Easier-to-Use Access to Maps, Directions and Local Discoveries
DENVER — (BUSINESS WIRE) — January 25, 2012 — MapQuest, a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL), today launched an all-new mobile browser experience built using HTML5. Designed to be more like MapQuest’s free iPhone and Android apps, the MapQuest mobile site is now easier than ever to use from your Android or iPhone mobile device, whether for exploring where you are, where you want to go, or how to best get there.
“Nearly half of all Mobile Web map users visited MapQuest in November,” said Michael Iams, Principal Product Manager for Mobile at MapQuest. “Since the largest and fastest growing segments of that group are iPhone and Android users, our aim with this release is to leverage the touch, display, and GPS capabilities of these advanced devices to give our users the best possible mobile web mapping experience.”
The new mobile Web experience features the ability to:
- Quickly determine your location: Access MapQuest.com in the mobile browser to determine a location and have it update it as you move around.
- Discover places to go: Find hotels, food, gas stations and more with a single tap. Pick a place using ratings and reviews for hotels and restaurants and current gas prices at participating stations nationwide.
- Get directions: In addition to basic directions, the new mobile web experience provides “landmark routing,” which helps users navigate by including places of interest along the way (e.g. “Turn left at Elm Street, right after the golf course.”). Landmark routing is also included in walking directions.
- Easy to use: The new MapQuest mobile web app features a new layout and organizes components in an easier to find and use format. For example, common functions such as in-frame traffic and toggling to satellite view are included in the dropdown. The new “you are here” icon lets users show their location on the map with a customizable emblem.
“Our popular iPhone and Android apps inspired our new mobile web experience,” said Vijay Bangaru, MapQuest’s Vice President of Product. “Millions of users love the advanced functionality of our native mobile apps and we’re thrilled to make those features available on our mobile web offering.”
For more information visit the MapQuest blog or go to MapQuest.com on your Android or iPhone.
About MapQuest
MapQuest provides Internet, mobile and business solutions delivering on the promise of helping people research and discover: where is it, how to get there and what’s nearby. MapQuest is ranked 17th for mobile brands and is one of the leading mapping providers, offering maps and directions, and reaching 13.3 M monthly mobile UVs according to MobiLens, November 2011. MapQuest’s mobile solutions are compatible with a variety of mobile devices, including iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices. MapQuest, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Inc., is based in Denver, Colo.
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