Google Maps Arrives on Windows Phone 7 via TechAutos Maps

Google Maps is now available for download for Windows Phone 7 devices out there. In all fairness, this is not the official release, and might not offer the entire list of features that would have been included in that solution, but it does comes with all of the basic features users need.

The software solution comes from TechAutos, which released this basic Google Maps client for Windows Phone 7 under the name of TechAutos Maps.

For the time being, however, the application is not available in a final version, though it is reportedly stable enough to be used on mobile phones. Moreover, it should be noted that the app requires side-loading, as it was not released in the Marketplace as of yet.

“TechAutos Maps is a basic Google Maps client for Windows Phone 7. It’s meant as a temporary solution until Google releases an official Maps application for WP7 but should nonetheless be useful for places where Bing’s map data is not the greatest,” the app's developers note.

What should also be noted here is that those who choose to download and install the app would have to do so through unlocking their devices using the ChevronWP7 solution.

The app was made available for download at TechAutos in the form of a .zip file. Users need to extract the XAP file inside. “TechAutos assumes no liability for the use of this product or any components contained therein,” the company notes.

Some of the main features of the application include:

Scrollable/zoomable Google maps
GPS location tracking
GPS enable + sensitivity settings
Smoothly restores last map view from state or isolated storage when app is restored

Those who are not familiar with what unlocking a Windows Phone 7 device is all about should head over to this forum thread at XDA-Developers to learn more on it. They would also need the Windows Phone 7 SDK installed on their desktop PCs (it can be downloaded from Softpedia too, from here).