AppleInsider Staff
A report on Wednesday claims Apple is among a number of high-profile tech companies being courted by Nokia in the Finnish firm's attempt to sell off its HERE mapping service and related assets.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports Nokia's list of potential buyers reads like a who's who of the tech industry, and includes Apple, Amazon, Alibaba, Baidu, Facebook, Sirius XM and Harman International, as well as German automakers and private holdings firms.
The person said Nokia is seeking more than 3 billion euros (roughly $3.2 billion) for HERE's mapping assets despite the cache being valued at $2.14 billion last year. Nokia's investment in HERE's technology, including those got through acquisitions like NAVTEQ, was pegged at $8.1 billion in 2008, the publication said.
It is unclear when Nokia is to officially put HERE up for bid, but Bloomberg reported earlier in April that the company is working with a financial advisor toward that goal.
For Apple, the addition of HERE could play an important role in the buildout of Apple Maps, which drew criticism when it launched in iOS 6. Two and a half years later, Maps still lacks basic features like mass transit data, though Apple is working on enhancing backend support.
Interestingly, Nokia recently revamped the iOS version of HERE and returned the app to Apple's App Store after a 15-month hiatus.
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66 Comments
Waste of money. Offer them $500 and an Apple Watch Edition for their CEO.
The maps data was one thing Nokia held out specifically during the sale of shit to MS. Maybe they were trying to leverage it during the sale and got stuck with it. If it has any real value, it is the map's reputation with European smart phone users.
Apple has moved a long way down the road fleshing out their own maps. The time to dangle this in front of Apple may have long since passed. As an American I can't see any benefit, but I do understand Europeans have a different experience with Apple Maps...maybe even Asians.
I'd like to hear how the rest of the world sees the Maps issue...
I couldn't work out just WHY would mapping application be so expensive. It would properly take Apple 320 Million and a few more years to get there. Why spend 3.2 Billion now? And I dont think HERE does great in China Mapping either.
You have no idea how bad apple maps on this side of Atlantic (especially in Eastern Europe and former-USSR, which account for ~300mln ppl). If I were in any position to vote in this matter - I would strongly advice to buyout HERE
You have no idea how bad apple maps on this side of Atlantic (especially in Eastern Europe and former-USSR, which account for ~300mln ppl). If I were in any position to vote in this matter - I would strongly advice to buyout HERE
300 million people, perhaps, but probably not a large market for Apple with the currency and political issues.