Like using Google Maps? If you are a Windows Phone user, bad news I’m afraid. Windows Phone 7.x and Phone 8 users are now without a way to access maps.google.com.
Going to the map site at this point simply redirects to Google’s home page. Before you get your pitchforks out and get too angry though, remember that we don’t know if this is a purposeful move or not. It’s possible that Google had some kind of accidental issue and that this isn’t intentional blocking.
That said, Microsoft and Google haven’t been the best of friends in recent times and Google has already made moves to alienate Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 consumers. This includes moves such as killing off EAS support for free Gmail accounts, denying Youtube API access and flat-out rejecting the idea of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 Google apps.
Why are Microsoft and Google at each others’ throats? There are many reasons, such as Microsoft’s anti-Google ads, Microsoft collecting royalties on Android, and other issues that go back rather far at this point.
The cold war isn’t so cold in the last few weeks, and if this is truly intentional, something needs to be done about it. Let’s hope that all of this was an honest mistake and nothing more.
In my opinion? I don’t think Google would openly attack Microsoft in such a fashion, so it is likely just a bug or other issue. What do you think, could Google be purposely blocking Windows Phone users from accessing Google Maps or not?
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