Why Google Blocked Windows Phone Device Users from Google Maps?

By Gizbot Bureau
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The cold war between Microsoft and Google seem to have reached a new level now. This can be said as on January 4, numerous Windows Phone device owners reported that they had been blocked from accessing Google Maps through Internet Explorer on their devices.

 

As Google had previously preventing the Windows Phone users from accessing Google apps, which are already offered to Android and iOS users, hence, many reports came out with conclusions that the software giant must have cut Windows Phone users off from using the service.

 

However, it was soon proved by Google officials as untrue, when them came out and denied the objection, reportedly saying it was much of a technical issue.

Why Google Blocked Windows Phone Device Users from Google Maps?

The claimed gained more substance, when a reader on The Verge noticed that while attempting to access Google Maps from a Windows Phone device, he was redirected to Google's main homepage. Here's what the user had to say in his post, titled "Google maps disabled on wp8": "When going to Google maps on my wp8 device I get redirected to the homepage.

I think google blocks it for WP users either because of compatibility issues or just to mess with MS. Anyway seeing to current relationships between the 2 companies I don't expect it to come. A pity because I needed it recently because bing/nokia maps are not as good. Another way users are being set aside."

On this, Google spokesperson also gave an explanation that Google Maps was never really designed to support the Internet Explorer browser on the Windows Phone platform.

"The mobile web version of Google Maps is optimized for WebKit browsers such as Chrome and Safari. However, since Internet Explorer is not a WebKit browser, Windows Phone devices are not able to access Google Maps for the mobile web, " he said in a Gizmodo report.

Google had announced earlier that it will not make its app accessible for Windows Phone users. It initiated first the dropping of Exchange Active Sync, which prevents users from creating new accounts on their phones and then blocking YouTube. The YouTube issue was something which happened in 2011 but is not resolved yet.

Following which, Microsoft has brought up the complaint again stating that Google is deliberately blocking YouTube from its OS. There is a native app for YouTube specifically for iOS and Android users, while Windows phone users must use mobile YouTube website or depend on some third party app like Metro Tube.

The relationship between Microsoft and Google is getting tough everyday but the most dangerous is the rivalry between Apple and Samsung. It is really unfortunate that Google has taken a stand of not allowing Windows, an entire platform, to access its apps and it is still not sure if this is just a temporary misunderstanding or something really serious.

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