Uber just joined the bid for Nokia's Here Maps, the company's mobile mapping division. The Finnish company has recently announced that it is considering selling its mobile map division, which is its last business to consumer service.
According to sources, Uber has made a $3 billion bid for Nokia's digital mapping service, competing against other big time bidders such as Facebook, Apple, Yahoo, Samsung, and Alibaba. The information came from three people, who would like to keep their anonymity, New York Times reported. The sources have also mentioned that German car makers Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz have also put in their bids for the digital mapping service.
Here Maps, to those who are not familiar with it, is Google Maps' biggest rival. Although Google Maps is quite big when it comes to online searches, Here Maps dominates mapping services for automobiles, hence, the European automobile manufacturers' interest in acquiring it.
Many have thought that Nokia has already said "yes" to Facebook's offer, as the two companies have recently announced that Here Maps is being tested on both Instagram and Messenger, which are both owned by FB.
"We are testing Nokia HERE maps across Facebook to give us more control and flexibility in delivering a consistent maps experience," a spokesperson from the company told TechCrunch a few days ago.
So why are the industries' biggest players so interested in acquiring Nokia's digital mapping division?
London analyst Jamie Moss explains, "It's extraordinarily difficult to get this type of mapping data." He also went on to say that at the moment, only Google and Here are the only ones who have the service.
Uber, in particular, would benefit greatly if it acquires the service from Nokia. The mapping service would help apps such as Uber Pool, wherein people can share a ride with one another. The app uses "geospatial mapping data," which helps passengers and drivers find each other. Meanwhile, having it on apps such as Messenger and Instagram might make tagging a location easier and more accurate for users.
