| 6th May 2004 - Cambridge, UK based mobile spatial specialist,
m-spatial today announced the roll-out of a second wave
of MapWay applications, and broadened its service offerings
on Vodafone Live!, O2 Active and Orange World.
The new MapWay applications make it quick and easy
for users to get the maps and/or directions they want,
by focussing on particular usage scenarios and matching
the user interface precisely to them. The usage scenarios
have been developed as a result of in-depth research
carried out with end users of the existing MapWay Walking
Directions and View Map applications. The maps displayed
by MapWay have also been upgraded, to include a wider
range of points of interest such as pubs, banks and
supermarkets using easy-to-read icons.
m-spatial CEO Andy Walker explained "Through talking
to MapWay users we discovered that whilst people use
the applications for all sorts of reasons, a small number
of usage scenarios account for a high percentage of
the usage. By producing specific applications which
focus on these scenarios, we have significantly reduced
the number of clicks required from a user to get to
the maps/directions they want. We also discovered that
users wanted more places of interest to be highlighted
within the maps displayed by MapWay."
Varying subsets of the new applications have been delivered
to each mobile network operator customer. The latest
version of the View Map application has been deployed
on all three portals; ‘Walk to/from nearest station’
and ‘Nearest tube to…’ have been deployed
on Vodafone live! and Orange World; and ‘Where
am I?’ has been deployed on Vodafone live!.
Walker continued “Through precisely meeting the
needs of our customers, we have already seen strong
and sustained growth in traffic levels. The new applications
not only have increased traffic levels through improved
usability but have also increased the number of users
trying the applications for the first time. By naming
the services so obviously, and placing them in relevant
sections of a portal, the applications have almost become
‘self marketing’. For example, by placing
the ‘Walk to/from nearest station’ application
next to a train timetable information service, the user
is instantly made aware that their phone can not only
help them with train times but also in how to get from
the station to their final destination.”
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