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Microsoft demos another important Windows 10 feature for phones

Published Apr 19th, 2015 11:44AM EDT

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Microsoft is slowly revealing all the features users will be able to enjoy on Windows 10 devices, whether they’re desktops, tablets or smartphones. The company on Friday published a preview look of what Windows 10 Maps for phone will look like to give us an idea of how we’ll use Windows Phones as navigation tools.

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The new Maps for Windows 10 is now available on phones that are running the latest Windows 10 Technical Preview version (build 10051), and can be tested right away.

The application is based on the Windows Universal app platform, and should offer users a similar experience on the phone and desktop. The app features imagery from both Bing Maps and Nokia’s Here maps, which are integrated for the first time into a single app on Windows 10.

The company says that maps for Windows 10 is greatly optimized for touch, so users can easily navigate the app on a smartphone. The app comes with Bing search integration, turn-by-turn directions and navigation support complete with traffic details, voice guided driving directions for GPS-enabled devices and support for driving, walking and public transportation.

Windows 10 maps will also let users save maps on the devices they’re using so that they can be used in offline mode. Interestingly, once downloaded, the maps will offer all the features you’d expect from a maps app when used online, including local search results and voice guided navigation, without requiring an Internet connection.

Finally, for those travelers looking to explore famous landmarks before they get to their destinations, the new maps app for Windows 10 comes with new 3D cities (see Florence, Italy in the top image), available for 190 locations, and streetside 360-degree panoramas.

More details about what Microsoft is doing with maps for Windows 10 phones are available at the source link, complete with more images from the app.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.