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Tech Saturday, January 5th 2013 at 1:00 pm

Google Maps Never Supported Internet Explorer on Windows Phone 8, But What’s Happening Now’s Silly

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Google and Microsoft have a history of not exactly being on the most amicable of terms. Like any good technology company, they’ve reluctantly worked and existed within the same sphere together, but that’s about the gist of it. There’s no love lost between them. That’s why when Google began redirecting Windows Phone users to the homepage rather than Google Maps, folks were quick to cry foul. Google never supported Internet Explorer on Windows Phone, but that doesn’t mean their redirect isn’t silly.

Here’s Google’s official response to the whole fiasco, courtesy of Gizmodo:

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.

Okay, that sounds reasonable. That is, until you take into account this statement from Microsoft:

Internet Explorer in Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 use the same rendering engine.

That makes things… confusing. So, what’s absolutely certain is that Google is redirecting Windows Phone users away from Google Maps, and their official reason is that “it’s not optimized for Internet Explorer.” Technically speaking, moving away from those experience which aren’t optimized isn’t an unusual move. Developers intentionally cripple certain methods of accessing things because they’ll eventually be broken entirely anyway. Better to not get folks used to using those applications in that way.

This could also be seen as retaliation against Microsoft for their public disappointment in the FTC’s recent antitrust probe into Google. In the end, it’s hard to exactly point fingers, but the timing certainly is suspicious. It’s a pretty simple redirect, after all, since misspelling Windows Phone 8 as the originator seems to work just fine.

(via The Next Web, Gizmodo)

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  • Anonymous

    For one, it shows that Google is no different than Microsoft.

  • Alex

    *pops open IE10 on Win 8*
    *Google maps works fine*

    Nope. Not at all suspicious.
    Of course the fun part is the part not covered by this article: Do you still get redirected if you install another browser on your Win8 phone?

  • http://twitter.com/stagerbn stagerbn

    a few days ago google maps worked just fine on my nokia lumia 800…

  • Idlethoughts

    Google would do well to remember their motto.

  • screwggle

    tried of google shit. switched all my stuff over to outlook now.

  • Jack Bond

    Not to mention, Chrome on my iPad has underperformed Safari on 2 occasions. And that’s functionality. Robustness and performance have always been inferior. Google, if your products aren’t working, don’t try to force us to use them.

  • Scientific Bob

    Bye Google. Hello microsoft.

  • Anonymous

    No different than Microsoft of the 90s. That I would agree with.

  • Anonymous

    I’m getting bored of the “it works on Windows 8″ argument. Google said the mobile maps page, which isn’t the page Windows 8 visits.
    Google undoubtedly sees Windows Phone as a threat and is responding accordingly.
    Personally, I’m bored of all this crap, and just want a platform that doesn’t treat me as a commodity to sell. Hurry up Canonical, we need you now.

  • http://twitter.com/NBGuyver Nitebreed

    You’re mad at Google because of their B2B disputes so you’re switching all of your stuff over to outlook? That makes no sense at all

  • http://twitter.com/NBGuyver Nitebreed

    sees windows phone as a threat? LMAO! TWICE. 5% market share and sliding.

  • http://twitter.com/NBGuyver Nitebreed

    smh. Chrome has under performed Safari only on 2 occasions? And on Apple’s product? wow. that’s pretty good I would say.

  • Anonymous

    No Maps, no native apps, no EAS for new users. Either they’re responding to a threat or they’re just being the playground bully.
    Google makes its money from ads. Every Windows phone that’s sold dilutes this. Every Windows 8 pc (with do not track enabled) that’s sold also does. Every Bing search does. Microsoft is a threat, and Google is responding accordingly. Don’t deny the obvious.

  • Jack Bond

    Chrome fails to handle file downloads and won’t even support the proper javascript for a simple drop-down box. It may have only been two occasions, but it’s two pretty major flaws. Just because they can’t make good apps for other platforms doesn’t mean they still deserve respect for it. An inferior product is an inferior product.

  • ano

    it is called newbie frustration. Microsoft obviously got “inspired” by google and apple and now some R-tards are screaming for the sake of screaming.

  • John

    Google are only interested in sales figures, ads and money. If they gave a s**t about your mobile OS then they would control the updates, but they pass it off to device manufacturers. Once you buy into the Google system you are paying for ads and you and your sweet Android phone is out of date the day you purchased it! Nice. Buy a new Galaxy S4 today and you are not getting key lime pie in 3 months! Screw Google, Im off to Microsoft,l