First Turn-by-Turn Navigation App To Fully Deploy Skyhook’s Hybrid Location System to Avoid GPS Headaches
SAN FRANCISCO- Skyhook, the world leader in location information, context and intelligence, and MapQuest, a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) today announced the embedding of Skyhook’s Core Engine into the MapQuest Android app to deliver an enhanced navigation experience on phones.
“Skyhook is the leader in location positioning, and MapQuest’s partnership with them will provide better experiences and greater reliability to our Android customers”
“We are very excited to work with MapQuest to launch the first smartphone application to take advantage of the benefits of true hybrid positioning,” said Michael Shean, founder and senior vice president, business development, Skyhook. “We continue to partner with the leading Android app developers to ensure Skyhook’s location technology is available everywhere.”
Frequent users of navigation apps on smartphones know the headaches of trying to start a trip from inside a parking garage, or of following a route through the urban canyons of New York City. Everyone has a story of the costly wrong turn made due to a lost GPS signal and delayed navigation. These issues are primarily a result of the limitations in relying on GPS satellites, also a handicap of many other navigation apps. By using Skyhook’s unique combination of Wi-Fi signals and GPS, MapQuest avoids these common GPS headaches.
"Skyhook is the leader in location positioning, and MapQuest’s partnership with them will provide better experiences and greater reliability to our Android customers," said MapQuest’s General Manager and Senior Vice President, Christian Dwyer. "MapQuest has made great strides to innovate its offerings within the mobile community, and we want to continue to work with likeminded organizations, such as Skyhook, to provide more intuitive, more relevant products to mobile users."
The free MapQuest Android App sets a high standard in mobile navigation. MapQuest for Android already provides a rich feature set that includes: voice guidance / turn-by-turn navigation, voice search, map toolbar, walking directions and live traffic flow information, and requires no subscription or download fees. With the addition of Skyhook’s patented hybrid location system, MapQuest’s Android app extends its reliable navigation available on smartphones.
About Skyhook Wireless
Skyhook is the worldwide leader in location positioning, context and intelligence. In 2003, Skyhook pioneered the development of the Wi-Fi Positioning System to provide precise and reliable location results in urban areas. Today, Skyhook’s Core Engine provides positioning to tens of millions of consumer mobile devices and applications. For more information visit www.skyhookwireless.com.
About MapQuest
MapQuest provides Internet, mobile, and business solutions delivering on the promise of helping people research and discover: where is it, how I get there and what’s nearby. MapQuest is one of the leading mapping brands online, offering maps and directions, and reaching more than 40.7 million users in February 2011, according to comScore Media Metrix. MapQuest’s mobile solutions are compatible with a variety of mobile devices, including iPhone and BlackBerry devices. MapQuest, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Inc., is based in Denver, Colo.