
Amazon Maps API - taylorbuley
https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/maps.html
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cek
And so the fragmentation of mobile platforms accelerates along the services
axis. [1]

Amazon attempts to ease the pain by offering "interface parity" with the
Google Maps API, but there are significant functional differences.

We are going to see more and more examples of this where mobile platform
vendors are going to try to get developers to use their firm's web services
when running on their platform. Bummer for devs who are already struggling
with trying to target multiple platforms.

[1] [http://www.lockergnome.com/mobile/2012/10/22/the-
fragmentati...](http://www.lockergnome.com/mobile/2012/10/22/the-
fragmentation-of-mobile-fragmentation/)

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peatmoss
Starting small isn't necessarily bad. I can't blame Amazon for dipping a toe
in the water and offering limited functionality to start after Apple's
overreach. If Amazon invests in validated data sets and functionality, but
keeps its AWS disposition of being the substrate, this all of a sudden becomes
a very exciting new entrant into the maps wars.

It'll take strategy, time, and resources for Amazon to be able to offer the
validated datasets and functionality that people expect. If they go about it
the right way, I could easily see them becoming the lurker map that comes to
dominate.

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cek
I was not making negative statement about Amazon.

I was just pointing out that this trend is going to continue to make the
mobile developer who's trying to target multiple platform's job harder.

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tnuc
Why are Apple and Amazon both only allowing their maps to be usable on mobile
devices?

I am sure there are people who want get away from Google/Bing but without web
I can't see them bothering.

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ge0rg
The Google Maps API for Android [1] can only be used on Google-certified
devices, as it builds on a Google-provided system library. Therefore, none of
the apps embedding Google Maps will work out-of-the-box, unless the device
manufacturer violates Google's copyright - which Amazon certainly will not do.

[1] <https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/android/>

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btipling
This isn't related to the question that your parent comment asked. That
comment was asking why the Amazon and Apple map products are mobile-only, with
no website component. Not sure how a comment about embedding Google maps has
anything to do with this.

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cynwoody
If memory serves, Amazon was the first to come out with street view, via their
a9.com site, circa 2005. However, they canned it before coverage got behind a
few major metropolitan areas.

Then came Google Maps and a much cooler street view implementation.

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Codhisattva
Amazon has licensed Nokia map tech and data. Not that interesting unless you
are desperately trying to get away from Google.

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scherrymomin
You sure about that?

[http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-
buys-3d-mappin...](http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-
buys-3d-mapping-startup-upnext/)

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aaronpk
Yes, from the license agreement of the Amazon Maps API:

"If you use the Program Materials we make available to enable the use of
mapping-related features within Your Products, including any component of our
Maps API, you accept and agree to be bound by NAVTEQ North America, LLC’s
(“Nokia”) Developer Software Agreement for NLP and Third Party Supplier Terms,
which applies to the portions of the Maps API provided by Nokia or its
affiliates."

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sadfaceunread
So this is ONLY on Kindle devices? Do kindle targeted apps suffer from an
inability to use google/bing?

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mborsuk
They do to a large degree yes. The Google maps add-on SDK for instance isn't
available on devices that haven't been blessed by google (and received an
official Vending.apk).

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killermonkeys
Presumably, this is an attempt to put Amazon's App Store on par with the
Android Market, but having to swap in different Maps APIs for different
devices seems like a big disincentive. If this mild fragmentation continues,
and I can't rely on Google's APIs existing for a given build target, I'd
prefer to just ignore the smaller and/or less likely to be useful platforms
like Kindle rather than try to stick to the common interface.

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SeanDav
Probably a good idea, until you find a really good use for it that everyone
wants, in which case Amazon will kill your app and steal your idea.

Sorry, just getting a bit cynical in my old age. Also a disclaimer; this
warning is not aimed at/about Amazon in particular but to anyone making a
business off an API to a popular web business.

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rjzzleep
well it's an android maps library. what's the particular interest?

<https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/maps/concepts.html>

demo looks like a demo. basically it's because they're not part of the android
group. do they have the google maps api libraries on the device? just curious
i honestly don't know. I'd imagine there are licensing issues?

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thejosh
Page Not Found

We're sorry, but we couldn't find the page you requested. You may want to go
to the homepage or read our FAQs.

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Loic
Interesting, with Firefox, without incognito mode, the page is found but with
Chromium in incognito mode, I also have a Page Not Found error. It looks like
they are doing some kind of browser sniffing or requesting to be signed in
without sending back the right error code if not signed in.

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bstar77
Can someone with developer access say how good the maps are? I don't see any
way to use the maps without an invitation.

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xmodem
They're Nokia maps so presumably you could just look at <http://here.net/>

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alimoeeny
Only for Kindle Apps, as far as I understand

