Chapter 16. Using Maps
This chapter covers
- Launching the built-in Maps application
- Determining device location
- Drawing movement on an embedded map
- Querying an address for a location
One of the appealing features of a smartphone like the Windows Phone is the ability to quickly discover your location or the location of nearby landmarks, especially when it’s paired with features that provide directions between your location and a destination. Such location-aware features are made possible by two related technologies essential for mobile platforms: Map Services and Location Services. Map Services provide the user with maps, directions, and searches for nearby businesses and landmarks. Location Services can be used to determine the device’s current location based on input from the cellular and Wi-Fi networks and the Global Positioning System (GPS). The Windows Phone SDK enables developers to access these technologies from within their applications.
The built-in Maps application can be started from within an application using tasks that launch the native application and push the running application to the background. When a more integrated user experience is desired, the developer can embed a map into an application using XAML controls provided in the SDK and the Windows Phone Toolkit.