Google Maps for mobile hits 100 million users a month

According to website Mobile Marketer more than 100 million consumers are accessing Google Maps for mobile each month.

Google Maps launched five years ago, and has been a quiet success, but not an outstanding success compared to some of its upstart competitors. Facebook currently admits to 150 million mobile users, but Stuart Drudge on Mobile Entertainment estimates that this could be nearer 200 million.

Google Maps is available on all Web-enabled handhelds via a mobile-optimised Web site, located at http://m.google.com/maps. The service is also available as an application on certain platforms, including iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Nokia 560 and Windows Mobile. In addition, Google Maps application comes pre-installed on many Android devices, giving Google Maps even greater reach. And it’s reach and numbers that count in Google’s book.

“Making the best Google Maps experience and its wide array of data available to more users across several platforms makes the 100-million milestone significant,” said Randall Sarafa, spokesman for Google.
Adding “We’ve been able to make Maps for mobile available to as many people as possible by offering it on several mobile platforms, helping us to achieve this significant milestone.”

The key reason Google wants so many users is of course revenue, and that revenue comes more and more from advertising with a local flavour according to Sarafara. “Location is a signal that’s used when Google determines the ads it shows to users, whether they’re on desktop or on mobile, and we place these ads on Android, Blackberry, iPhone, and other mobile devices,” Sarafa said.

Read more of the interview Here – Mobile Marketer

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