Exit Google Maps, Enter Ola Maps

Ola has been using Google Maps for six years now (likely March 2016 onwards). Earlier, users could book Ola cabs directly through the Google Maps app (but now that option also seems to have magically disappeared). Meanwhile, the Ola Maps search feature on the app still shows that it is powered by Google.

After announcing a huge exit from Google Maps and shifting completely to self-built Ola Maps, CEO Bhavish Aggarwal yesterday announced that the company is giving one-year free access to Ola Maps on Krutrim Cloud, offering credits worth up to INR 100 crore. Developers have mixed emotions. 

‘Reinventing maps’

“After #ExitAzure, it’s time for 🇮🇳developers to #ExitGoogleMaps!” affirmed Aggarwal, saying how we’ve been using Western apps to map India for too long, and they don’t get our unique challenges: street names, urban changes, complex traffic, non-standard roads, etc.