“We’re making it easier for developers to start up and scale quickly in India with lower pricing and the ability to be charged and pay their bill in INR (Indian Rupees),” states the search and ads giant’s explanation for the change, which comes into effect from August 1.
It pointed to rivals not offering complete rural coverage, keeping up with new or changed roads, and not understanding how potholes and other tarmac quality issues impact travel times.
In 2022 Singaporean rideshare and delivery platform Grab created its own maps that capture info specific to the layout of Asian cities, taking into account the prevalence of motorbikes across the region.
“Our recent #ExitGoogleMaps campaign wasn’t just about a product – it’s a battle cry for India’s technological freedom,” wrote Ola Group co-founder and chair Bhavish Aggarwal.
Another new offer means developers will get access to Ola Maps at no charge for three years if they use them alongside the Indian government’s e-commerce hub – the Open Network for Digital Commerce.
But local regulators have previously gone after Google over its Android and Play Store market dominance, and Smart TV licensing practices.
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