Telenav is betting that navigation will be the next must-have feature in ever developer’s toolkit. It is opening up its HTML5-based GPS nav platform, Scout for Apps, to Android and Windows Phones developers, allowing them to embed voice-guided turn-by-turn directions into any native app.
Telenav opened Scout to iOS developers back in March, so expanding to further platforms was a given. But in addition to announcing Android and Windows support on Wednesday, the company making it easier for any developer to nav-enable mobile websites as well, said Dariusz Paczuski, VP of products and marketing. Telenav plans to make available a new “Drive Button” widget, which once present will immediate launch a browser-based navigation session to a specified location.
The idea is target the growing number of local businesses that are creating a presence on the mobile web, Paczuski said. Since the aim for these restaurants, stores and coffee shops is to generate more foot traffic, a pretty valuable website feature is one that leads those customers right to their doors.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock user Ana de Sousa
