Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/MapFactor
MapFactor Navigator, one of the most advanced navigation solutions currently on the market, has just announced that it's also bringing its Android app to Windows devices.
If you're already a MapFactor user and find this announcement rather surprising, you're not alone.
The company is already offering a Windows and WinCE version of its navigation software (mostly known as PC Navigator), so this new release might initially seem a little uncanny. However, today's launch is aimed at the Android version of the app, so MapFactor becomes one of the first navigation experts to bring their software to Microsoft's modern operating system.
Here's a little context to better understand how everything works on Windows.
Microsoft's latest version of Windows, officially known as Windows 11, comes with a component called Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA). Once installed, WSA allows users to run Android apps on top of Windows 11. Apps can be downloaded and installed from a store that's separate from the Microsoft Store bundled with the OS. Microsoft partnered with Amazon to bring their AppStore to Windows 11, so you'll find all the available Android apps there. Amazon's AppStore also comes pre-loaded with Windows on devices where the feature has already been enabled.
MapFactor is therefore bringing its Android navigation app to Windows in the Amazon AppStore, providing users with another option should they want to access its software on a Windows-powered tablet or laptop (of course, assuming they also have a GPS module).
The Android version of MapFactor comes with substantial benefits over the native Windows offering, including professional TomTom maps, premium features like alternative routes and head-up display, live HD traffic info, online search, and remote commands.
The essential feature package is still there, including free offline maps, speed limit and camera warnings, routing modes for cars, trucks, walking, and motorcycles, and points of interest.
Now that the fully featured Android version is making its way to Windows, most people wonder what's going to happen to the native Windows sibling. That's certainly a good question, especially as developing two similar solutions aimed at the same audience doesn’t make sense in the long term. Sure enough, the Android version is aimed exclusively at Windows 11 users, so MapFactor might decide to keep the original Windows release around for a little longer. In the long term, however, it could eventually be retired.
I reached out to the company for additional information on this subject, and I'll post an update when I hear back.
In the meantime, if you want to try out the new MapFactor Navigator on your Windows 11 device, make sure the Android app support is already enabled. After that, head over to the Amazon AppStore to download the app, but don't forget that a GPS module is already required for your Windows device in order to determine your location.
The company is already offering a Windows and WinCE version of its navigation software (mostly known as PC Navigator), so this new release might initially seem a little uncanny. However, today's launch is aimed at the Android version of the app, so MapFactor becomes one of the first navigation experts to bring their software to Microsoft's modern operating system.
Here's a little context to better understand how everything works on Windows.
Microsoft's latest version of Windows, officially known as Windows 11, comes with a component called Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA). Once installed, WSA allows users to run Android apps on top of Windows 11. Apps can be downloaded and installed from a store that's separate from the Microsoft Store bundled with the OS. Microsoft partnered with Amazon to bring their AppStore to Windows 11, so you'll find all the available Android apps there. Amazon's AppStore also comes pre-loaded with Windows on devices where the feature has already been enabled.
MapFactor is therefore bringing its Android navigation app to Windows in the Amazon AppStore, providing users with another option should they want to access its software on a Windows-powered tablet or laptop (of course, assuming they also have a GPS module).
The Android version of MapFactor comes with substantial benefits over the native Windows offering, including professional TomTom maps, premium features like alternative routes and head-up display, live HD traffic info, online search, and remote commands.
The essential feature package is still there, including free offline maps, speed limit and camera warnings, routing modes for cars, trucks, walking, and motorcycles, and points of interest.
Now that the fully featured Android version is making its way to Windows, most people wonder what's going to happen to the native Windows sibling. That's certainly a good question, especially as developing two similar solutions aimed at the same audience doesn’t make sense in the long term. Sure enough, the Android version is aimed exclusively at Windows 11 users, so MapFactor might decide to keep the original Windows release around for a little longer. In the long term, however, it could eventually be retired.
I reached out to the company for additional information on this subject, and I'll post an update when I hear back.
In the meantime, if you want to try out the new MapFactor Navigator on your Windows 11 device, make sure the Android app support is already enabled. After that, head over to the Amazon AppStore to download the app, but don't forget that a GPS module is already required for your Windows device in order to determine your location.
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