[Android app] Nokia HERE Maps (beta) now available for download for all Android 4.1 or newer devices

Here Maps has been an exclusive on Windows Phones for quite some time now. But following Microsoft's purchase of Nokia's smartphone business, the company has shifted its focus to other mobile platforms. Today, Nokia officially released the HERE app beta, compatible with all Android 4.1 or higher smartphones.

This is not the first time we have seen HERE Maps on other platforms. The HERE platform was initially offered on Nokia's symbian and Meego devices before it made its way to the Windows Phone platform.

Nokia once released HERE Maps for Android and HERE Maps for iOS, but went onto remove the listing from their respective apps stores. HERE Maps was released again for the Android platform on Nokia X devices, but again remained an exclusive. We recently saw the app released exclusively for Samsung's Tizen-powered Gear smart watches and then onto Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy smartphones.

We later found out that Nokia was working on bringing its HERE Maps to other Android devices when an APK leaked out. Now all devices running Android 4.1 or higher can download and try out HERE Maps which allows users to pre-download the maps of their region and then experience real-time turn-by-turn navigation without the need for any type of data connection. This is both great for users who are on a budget, and users who just so happen to be traveling and can't rely on fast data coverage at all times.

This beta version of HERE for Android has the 175 build number, while the previously leaked beta carried the 174 build number and older.

source - Nokia | PhoneScoop