HERE Maps

[jch2103]

This isn't actually a feature request, just a note that HERE maps has announced new 'freemium' plans for map data: https://360.here.com/announcing-freemium-off-the-chart-location-technology-for-free

I don't think this would make a difference to my use case, given the options that already exist in IM 2018, but perhaps it would be useful to some other users. I also have no idea what it would require for Mario to add as (yet) another option.

[Mario]

The link was blocked by my ublock because of 'malvertising'  Even https://360.here.com.
When I reached the home page, it was empty. Probably too many ads and trackers on that page that it does not work without.

IMatch already supports two separate and entirely different map panel implementations (OpenLayers and Google) to give users options.
Every time I make a change in the Map Panel I need to make it twice (in different ways) to continue support for Google, and for Bing, OpenStreetMap, Stamen and the other map types supported by OpenLayers. I need to keep track of changes and new versions, decide which to use and how and so on.

Doing a 3rd implementation is out of the question.

However, maybe OpenLayers supports HERE Maps (I think I read something about it) and I can somehow just enable this. I will need to look into this when I have a quite minute and from a system which is not as tightly protected against potentially malicious ads as my development system. If OpenLayers suport it its maybe  1/2 day of work for adding new API Key controls in Edit > Preferences > Geo & Maps, new map types to the Map Panel and documentation.

I don't know if the HERE Maps are any better than OpenStreetMap, Bing or Google, though.

[jch2103]

The link was blocked by my ublock because of 'malvertising'  Even https://360.here.com.
When I reached the home page, it was empty. Probably too many ads and trackers on that page that it does not work without.
...
I don't know if the HERE Maps are any better than OpenStreetMap, Bing or Google, though.

That's odd about the blocked site; try here.com, perhaps. I didn't see any ads of any kind (except that the entire site is of course an ad for HERE).

I don't know if the HERE maps are any better, either. The HERE mobile app does make it easier to cache large sets of maps for situations where mobile data is not easily available. I found it useful in some situations when I was in Italy last year, although most of the time Google maps worked fine.

[Mario]

Google Maps also supports off-line maps on mobiles (you need to re-download them every couple of months).
I rely on that when using GM for navigation when I'm on tour with my motorcycle.

[jch2103]

Google Maps also supports off-line maps on mobiles (you need to re-download them every couple of months).
I rely on that when using GM for navigation when I'm on tour with my motorcycle.

Yes, I take advantage of that also. But HERE allows downloading/cache of larger areas, e.g., an entire country such as all of Italy at once. As I said, most of the time I use Google anyway. 

[Mario]

Since the Map Panel cannot work when you're off-line anyway...if this is the only advance of using HERE Maps, I wonder if this is worth any further effort...

[jch2103]

I don't think this would make a difference to my use case, given the options that already exist in IM 2018, but perhaps it would be useful to some other users.

We'll see if anyone else thinks this would be useful, otherwise...