Finally! Google releases native Google Maps client for UIQ 3.

[slitchfield]

This is something many UIQ 3 users have been waiting for (me included!). A native SIS client for Google Maps instead of a Java Midlet. The new client is fast, looks neat and has a function called 'My Location' which basically gives a guess of your whereabouts. No press release whatsoever, but for you who want to test it, head over to http://www.google.com/gmm using your UIQ 3's internet browser and download the SIS file. Screenshots after the break.

Read on in the full article.

[ares]

Nice Guess the search client should also be available soon

[krisse]

Is this possibly thanks to Motorola having a share in UIQ? Will we see this client bundled with their future UIQ phones?

[stuclark]

FINALLY!

And it seems to work pretty well on the Z8 too. (I can't get directions to work using start and end points from a map though, the phone forgets one or both of the points)

[ares]

Krisse...no...Google made recently a partnership with UIQ, not Motorola...

http://www.uiq.com/2888_2946.html

By the way, i think that was announced here at AAS, so you maybe should start paying a bit more attention to what happens with UIQ no??? :p

[krisse]

Ares, what I meant was that Moto owns half of UIQ, so any partnership with UIQ is also an indirect partnership with Moto.

Perhaps Moto has secretly been negotiating with Google?

Such excellent news!

I got the W960i over the holidays, so I'm thrilled to see Google Maps available as a native app.

BTW, I also added Gmail to the W960i's native messaging client using Gmail's IMAP settings. It works fantastic. Way better than their Java implementations.

[Rafe]

Really nice to see this come along.

Motorola and Sony Ericsson both have relationships with Google outside of UIQ too (e.g. Sony Ericsson support for Blogger on its phones, Moto links with Google on the Z8/Z10).