7 ms·

Amazon Maps API

125 points by ryandvm 14y ago

seldo 14y ago
Forgive me for not checking this myself as I'm on a mobile device, but isn't this just a wrapper to Google's map API?
- lucian1900 14y ago
  On Android, the Google Maps API is part of "Google APIs", not "Android APIs". Since they have their own Android fork essentially, they get the latter, but not the former. So now they've built an equivalent for the former.
  - seldo 14y ago
    Ah, gotcha. But still Google's map data, not some new source, yes?
    - bradddd 14y ago
      Yeah. That's how I read it. They're just making it easier to use on their own devices.
      - mbesto 14y ago
        So the title is terribly misleading?
    - suninwinter 14y ago
      It's more likely UpNext's data. http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-buys-3d-mapping-startup-upnext/ http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-buys-3d-mappin...
    - mun2mun 14y ago
      I think map data is from Nokia[1]. API interface may be same as Google API's. [1]http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/09/17/nokia-confirms-amazon-licensed-location-platform-maps-geocoding/ http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/09/17/nokia-confirms-amazo...
- berkut 14y ago
  No - looks like it's based on Nokia's Location Platform.
lowglow 14y ago
This is a pretty big deal. I wonder where they got their data from? Can people compete in this space without street view? It's the main reason I use google maps.
- aspratley 14y ago
  Was it just rumour that Nokia (presumably Navteq) were going to be suppling maps to the Kindle Fire? Is that underpinning the new API?
- sbarre 14y ago
  I agree. The loss of Street View is actually one of the biggest downsides of iOS 6 in my mind. Although I assume Google will release their own Maps app for iOS, but since Apple doesn't let you remove their built-in apps, I'm stuck with 2 maps icons, and no doubt clicking an address in any other app will load the Apple Maps app and not Google Maps. edit: ehh sorry I just realized this is pretty off-topic. :-(
- RandallBrown 14y ago
  Have you ever used street view on mobile? I haven't. I don't think they're trying to compete with Google Maps in general. Just trying to give their developers a map API to use.
devsatish 14y ago
Title should be Amazon re-enters the maps game. Remember A9 maps and Amazon street-view
- saurik 14y ago
  Yeah. Google did their street view project in 2007, but A9 launched it in 2005. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1032_3-5833916.html http://news.cnet.com/2100-1032_3-5833916.html "Amazon A9 takes it to the streets" > The company's A9 search subsidiary is expected on Tuesday to launch a beta of A9.com Maps, which lets people see street-level photos of addresses and get driving directions. In fact, Google's Street View was apparently launched a week after A9 shut down. ;P http://appscout.pcmag.com/web-browsers/277151-r-i-p-a9-maps-we-hardly-knew-ye http://appscout.pcmag.com/web-browsers/277151-r-i-p-a9-maps-... "R.I.P. A9 Maps; We Hardly Knew Ye" > The schtick behind A9's take was to have vehicles driving around taking pictures of both sides of every major city street in the US. It looked promising (if a bit invasive), search for some business or other address and even get a photo of what the storefront looked like. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View > It was launched on May 25, 2007, in several cities in the United States, and has since expanded to include cities and rural areas worldwide.
alimoeeny 14y ago
can you see the map anywhere, I mean a sample of how it looks like? I couldn't find any previews or screenshots.
derekerdmann 14y ago
Is this just a re-implementation of the Google Maps API? Does it have the same one-MapView-per-process restriction as the Google version?
jack7890 14y ago
Worth noting that in July Amazon bought UpNext, an NYC startup doing cool stuff with 3D maps: http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-buys-3d-mapping-startup-upnext/ http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-buys-3d-mappin...
whalesalad 14y ago
Aw I was REALLY hoping to see geocoding + reverse geocoding. To clarify why, the landscape for that is fairly grim right now. GeoNames (http://www.geonames.org http://www.geonames.org) seems to be the best that i've evaluated thus far. It'll cost you at scale (not much), but it's international and can find nearby neighborhoods/cities. Google requires you to display their information on one of their maps if you use them to geocode or reverse geocode. Question for iOS devs out there: how are you finding nearby cities in your app from a lat/lng point? (is even asking this against the ios rules?) Right now I am using geonames and the results are pretty decent. Works for now!
- evilduck 14y ago
  iOS's built in MapKit provides a reverse geocoding lookup API. It used to abstract away the Google geocoding API, but I'm not sure if iOS6 still relies on Google for that, I haven't looked into it. The basic gist of it: Init a CLLocation object with a lat/long (probably pulled from the device GPS or a map dropped pin) and then call CLGeocoder's reverseGeocodeLocationInitialize and it'll return a CLPlacemark, which contains the approximate address. To just find nearby cities from a lat/long though, you probably don't need to reverse lookup the address, it's probably easier to use something like MaxMind's free database which would give you the lat/long of cities, host it either locally on the device (a subset, obv) or on your server and then just use math to put some coordinate min/max bounds on your query to find city names nearby.
  - objclxt 14y ago
    It hasn't relied on Google since iOS 5, when CLGeocoder was introduced. This is one reason why the new geocoding classes (versus the now deprecated MapKit ones, which used Google) are somewhat less accurate and absent entirely from certain countries.
- sylvinus 14y ago
  I worked on this last week and I found GeoNames' results to be quite poor. The best replacement I found when going over Google's limits was Yahoo's PlaceFinder. I integrated Google, GeoNames and Yahoo in a npm module: https://github.com/sylvinus/geocoder https://github.com/sylvinus/geocoder
playhard 14y ago
If Amazon can do things for maps like it did for file storage(s3), it would be phenomenal for developers , as most of the innovations in recent years depends on location data. It should not be too costly for Amazon to provide maps and geo data. They should make map services part of AWS.
- federicoweber 14y ago
  I doubt it will be that cheap, at least to implement a fully fledged service alla google maps. But sure it will be interesting for a lot of developers. Amazon builded AWS out of necessity and then transformed it into a public service. I believe it make sense to them to build a map service in the same way, giving they they are still a logistic company it could be more than helpfull for them.
  - dchest 14y ago
    Amazon builded AWS out of necessity and then transformed it into a public service. It's a myth. http://www.quora.com/Amazon/How-and-why-did-Amazon-get-into-the-cloud-computing-business/answer/Werner-Vogels http://www.quora.com/Amazon/How-and-why-did-Amazon-get-into-...
    - federicoweber 14y ago
      I always believed the opposite, thanks for pointing this out.
peteretep 14y ago
Just a random plug for an open source library I wrote, as I know there are a lot of you doing geolocation enabled apps: http://www.zipripjs.com/ http://www.zipripjs.com/
TeMPOraL 14y ago
> Custom Overlays. You can display the locations of businesses, landmarks and other points of interest with your own customized markers and pins. Does this mean there finally is some kind of map app on Android when user can place one's own marks, paths and places? One of the feature I miss in Google Maps for Android is being able to put my own data on the map (like, for example, marking places I plan to visit when going for a trip) and having it available off-line.
- aw3c2 14y ago
  Don't limit yourself to Google. Try OpenStreetMap apps. For example OruxMaps or OsmAnd. You can easily load routes and data into those. The underlying data is free and open and you can contribute easily (and have the changes live in minutes). OsmAnd has incredibly easy ways to select POIs to highlight.
  - TeMPOraL 14y ago
    Thanks, I'll definitely look into it! Does any of those support off-line map catching? (it's hell of an important feature for me; quite recently GPS + offline maps saved my butt when I got stranded in the middle of a highway while returning from Prague via hitchhiking).
    - aw3c2 14y ago
      Yes, both support vector maps you can easily get.
turingbook 14y ago
What platform is under the hood, Nokia? http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/09/17/nokia-confirms-amazon-licensed-location-platform-maps-geocoding/ http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/09/17/nokia-confirms-amazo...

Amazon Maps API

125 points by ryandvm 14y ago

seldo 14y ago

Forgive me for not checking this myself as I'm on a mobile device, but isn't this just a wrapper to Google's map API?

lucian1900 14y ago
On Android, the Google Maps API is part of "Google APIs", not "Android APIs". Since they have their own Android fork essentially, they get the latter, but not the former. So now they've built an equivalent for the former.
- seldo 14y ago
  Ah, gotcha. But still Google's map data, not some new source, yes?
  - bradddd 14y ago
    Yeah. That's how I read it. They're just making it easier to use on their own devices.
    - mbesto 14y ago
      So the title is terribly misleading?
  - suninwinter 14y ago
    It's more likely UpNext's data. http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-buys-3d-mapping-startup-upnext/ http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-buys-3d-mappin...
  - mun2mun 14y ago
    I think map data is from Nokia[1]. API interface may be same as Google API's. [1]http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/09/17/nokia-confirms-amazon-licensed-location-platform-maps-geocoding/ http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/09/17/nokia-confirms-amazo...
berkut 14y ago
No - looks like it's based on Nokia's Location Platform.

lowglow 14y ago

This is a pretty big deal. I wonder where they got their data from? Can people compete in this space without street view? It's the main reason I use google maps.

aspratley 14y ago
Was it just rumour that Nokia (presumably Navteq) were going to be suppling maps to the Kindle Fire? Is that underpinning the new API?
sbarre 14y ago
I agree. The loss of Street View is actually one of the biggest downsides of iOS 6 in my mind. Although I assume Google will release their own Maps app for iOS, but since Apple doesn't let you remove their built-in apps, I'm stuck with 2 maps icons, and no doubt clicking an address in any other app will load the Apple Maps app and not Google Maps. edit: ehh sorry I just realized this is pretty off-topic. :-(
RandallBrown 14y ago
Have you ever used street view on mobile? I haven't. I don't think they're trying to compete with Google Maps in general. Just trying to give their developers a map API to use.

devsatish 14y ago

Title should be Amazon re-enters the maps game. Remember A9 maps and Amazon street-view

saurik 14y ago
Yeah. Google did their street view project in 2007, but A9 launched it in 2005. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1032_3-5833916.html http://news.cnet.com/2100-1032_3-5833916.html "Amazon A9 takes it to the streets" > The company's A9 search subsidiary is expected on Tuesday to launch a beta of A9.com Maps, which lets people see street-level photos of addresses and get driving directions. In fact, Google's Street View was apparently launched a week after A9 shut down. ;P http://appscout.pcmag.com/web-browsers/277151-r-i-p-a9-maps-we-hardly-knew-ye http://appscout.pcmag.com/web-browsers/277151-r-i-p-a9-maps-... "R.I.P. A9 Maps; We Hardly Knew Ye" > The schtick behind A9's take was to have vehicles driving around taking pictures of both sides of every major city street in the US. It looked promising (if a bit invasive), search for some business or other address and even get a photo of what the storefront looked like. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View > It was launched on May 25, 2007, in several cities in the United States, and has since expanded to include cities and rural areas worldwide.

alimoeeny 14y ago

can you see the map anywhere, I mean a sample of how it looks like? I couldn't find any previews or screenshots.

derekerdmann 14y ago

Is this just a re-implementation of the Google Maps API? Does it have the same one-MapView-per-process restriction as the Google version?

jack7890 14y ago

Worth noting that in July Amazon bought UpNext, an NYC startup doing cool stuff with 3D maps: http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-buys-3d-mapping-startup-upnext/ http://gigaom.com/2012/07/02/exclusive-amazon-buys-3d-mappin...

whalesalad 14y ago

Aw I was REALLY hoping to see geocoding + reverse geocoding. To clarify why, the landscape for that is fairly grim right now. GeoNames (http://www.geonames.org http://www.geonames.org) seems to be the best that i've evaluated thus far. It'll cost you at scale (not much), but it's international and can find nearby neighborhoods/cities. Google requires you to display their information on one of their maps if you use them to geocode or reverse geocode. Question for iOS devs out there: how are you finding nearby cities in your app from a lat/lng point? (is even asking this against the ios rules?) Right now I am using geonames and the results are pretty decent. Works for now!

evilduck 14y ago
iOS's built in MapKit provides a reverse geocoding lookup API. It used to abstract away the Google geocoding API, but I'm not sure if iOS6 still relies on Google for that, I haven't looked into it. The basic gist of it: Init a CLLocation object with a lat/long (probably pulled from the device GPS or a map dropped pin) and then call CLGeocoder's reverseGeocodeLocationInitialize and it'll return a CLPlacemark, which contains the approximate address. To just find nearby cities from a lat/long though, you probably don't need to reverse lookup the address, it's probably easier to use something like MaxMind's free database which would give you the lat/long of cities, host it either locally on the device (a subset, obv) or on your server and then just use math to put some coordinate min/max bounds on your query to find city names nearby.
- objclxt 14y ago
  It hasn't relied on Google since iOS 5, when CLGeocoder was introduced. This is one reason why the new geocoding classes (versus the now deprecated MapKit ones, which used Google) are somewhat less accurate and absent entirely from certain countries.
sylvinus 14y ago
I worked on this last week and I found GeoNames' results to be quite poor. The best replacement I found when going over Google's limits was Yahoo's PlaceFinder. I integrated Google, GeoNames and Yahoo in a npm module: https://github.com/sylvinus/geocoder https://github.com/sylvinus/geocoder

playhard 14y ago

If Amazon can do things for maps like it did for file storage(s3), it would be phenomenal for developers , as most of the innovations in recent years depends on location data. It should not be too costly for Amazon to provide maps and geo data. They should make map services part of AWS.

federicoweber 14y ago
I doubt it will be that cheap, at least to implement a fully fledged service alla google maps. But sure it will be interesting for a lot of developers. Amazon builded AWS out of necessity and then transformed it into a public service. I believe it make sense to them to build a map service in the same way, giving they they are still a logistic company it could be more than helpfull for them.
- dchest 14y ago
  Amazon builded AWS out of necessity and then transformed it into a public service. It's a myth. http://www.quora.com/Amazon/How-and-why-did-Amazon-get-into-the-cloud-computing-business/answer/Werner-Vogels http://www.quora.com/Amazon/How-and-why-did-Amazon-get-into-...
  - federicoweber 14y ago
    I always believed the opposite, thanks for pointing this out.

peteretep 14y ago

Just a random plug for an open source library I wrote, as I know there are a lot of you doing geolocation enabled apps: http://www.zipripjs.com/ http://www.zipripjs.com/

TeMPOraL 14y ago

> Custom Overlays. You can display the locations of businesses, landmarks and other points of interest with your own customized markers and pins. Does this mean there finally is some kind of map app on Android when user can place one's own marks, paths and places? One of the feature I miss in Google Maps for Android is being able to put my own data on the map (like, for example, marking places I plan to visit when going for a trip) and having it available off-line.

aw3c2 14y ago
Don't limit yourself to Google. Try OpenStreetMap apps. For example OruxMaps or OsmAnd. You can easily load routes and data into those. The underlying data is free and open and you can contribute easily (and have the changes live in minutes). OsmAnd has incredibly easy ways to select POIs to highlight.
- TeMPOraL 14y ago
  Thanks, I'll definitely look into it! Does any of those support off-line map catching? (it's hell of an important feature for me; quite recently GPS + offline maps saved my butt when I got stranded in the middle of a highway while returning from Prague via hitchhiking).
  - aw3c2 14y ago
    Yes, both support vector maps you can easily get.

turingbook 14y ago

What platform is under the hood, Nokia? http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/09/17/nokia-confirms-amazon-licensed-location-platform-maps-geocoding/ http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/09/17/nokia-confirms-amazo...