Introducing the new HERE SDKs for Android and iOS

Today we are excited to announce the availability of our brand-new HERE SDKs for Android and iOS. These SDKs have been rebuilt from the ground up for your coding pleasure and are backed by more than 30 years expertise in mapping and location technology. They enable you to give your users access to the latest mapping data as well as your favorite location services from HERE, including Maps, Search, Directions and Traffic.

We’re going to dive into some details and answer some questions below, but if you’re as excited as we are (and you should be!) why not go straight to the documentation and get started by building your first app? There are two approaches you can take.

The easiest way to try the new SDKs is to go to GitHub and check out our new HERE SDK Examples. The readme.md has all the info you need to have your first example up and running!

If you want to build something from scratch or integrate the SDK into an existing application, you should head over to the HERE SDK documentation and check out the Get Started section for Android or the Get Started section for iOS.

Either way you’ll need a set of credentials, so go ahead and sign up for a Freemium account!

Alright, we’ve covered the most important part (getting started), so let’s dive into some more details. Most importantly, the new SDKs are available in three different editions: Lite, Explore and Navigate.

These editions differ mainly by their map renderer. The Lite Edition uses a light-weight renderer which uses limited resources and provides support for a vast number of different mobile devices. The Explore and Navigate Editions use a premium renderer for visually appealing true 3D maps with a smooth map experience and highly performant map rendering. In addition, the Navigate edition also supports turn-by-turn navigation.

You can visit the HERE SDK product page for a full list of features and a more detailed comparison of the various SDK editions.

Stay tuned for lots of exciting content about the new SDKs, including a new series of HERE Waypoints on Twitch, blog posts and more. Remember to follow us on Twitter for the latest updates!

I’m sure you have questions. Good thing that we have answers!

Are the new SDKs part of the Freemium plan?

The Lite and Explore Editions are available as part of your Freemium plan. The Navigate edition is currently available upon request.

Which edition should I use?

If in doubt, you should use the Explore edition. Use Navigate if you need turn-by-turn navigation. Consider Lite if you need to support older and less powerful devices. Check out the HERE SDK product page for a more detailed comparison of the SDK editions.

What about the Starter and Premium Editions of the SDK?

The Starter Edition has been deprecated. Consider moving to Lite or Explore. The Premium Edition with offline support remains available until 2021.