Can homegrown MapmyIndia take on Google Maps in India?
Homegrown mapping company, Delhi-based MapmyIndia is gearing up to take on Google Maps and conquer its territory in India. Rakesh and Rashmi Verma's MapmyIndia unveiled its consumer mobile app, moving from automobile navigation to connected mobile devices with MapmyIndia Smart Mobility Platform to offer navigation, tracking, streaming services, etc. However, experts feel MapmyIndia's app is "late" as Google already dominates the space. Here's more.
CE Info Systems-owned MapmyIndia leads in India's auto sector
MapmyIndia, founded in 1992, is profitable and has been dominating the mapping space in the automobile industry since 2004, when it introduced retail online maps; all cars with installed navigators started using the company's products. However, MapmyIndia is behind Google on the consumer front. Focused on B2B applications, it offered a free consumer app with limited features while the Google Maps has full features.
Google Maps' efforts to bring more Indians on board
India's data consumption has changed; data has become cheaper and faster now; Google Maps has been gaining from this. Google Maps, launched in India in 2008, was built by the then Google-India CEO Lalitesh Katragadda and Program Manager Anal Ghosh. Google Maps has been focusing on India-specific products, offering various navigation, reservations, cab-booking, and tracking services; MapmyIndia has a lot to catch up with.
MapmyIndia is working on govt. project with India Post
Though MapmyIndia is behind Google Maps in the consumer space, it has been busy with some innovative projects like mapping all Indian postal addresses and developing "eLOC" that creates a code for every address. It's working with India Post to map out some areas.
Business models of Google Maps, MapmyIndia different
MapmyIndia, primarily a B2B product, offers customizable solutions while Google Maps is a search-linked consumer product that earns through advertisements. But both the companies are trying different strategies. MapmyIndia is gearing up for a consumer play with its new app offering integrated systems in cars. It's considering revenue through advertising. Google, meanwhile, is looking at B2B revenue through different application programming interface (APIs).
MapmyIndia's eLOC project would be of great help: Katragadda
Katragadda, who left Google in 2014, believes maps have a great potential to aid India's development and is working on using maps for progress. He finds MapmyIndia's project for mapping all Indian addresses and assigning them an eLOC code very exciting. He says competing with Google in India is very much possible as long as the competitor offers an excellent product for free.
Competing with Google Maps in India
MapmyIndia is trying to what Katragadda said: offering a free product better than Google Maps. MapmyIndia Founder, Rakesh Verma says a reliable product that has every address mapped is better than Google Maps that finds an address based on landmarks. However, competing with Google might not be easy; Google has a lot of money and can even buy anything that competes with it.
MapmyIndia refused Google's buyout offer
MapmyIndia has strategic players as its investors, including Qualcomm, Flipkart, and Japan's Zenrin. It has also rejected "buyout offers" from Google and Yahoo. Rakesh Verma says diversifying MapmyIndia is their "defense" against a takeover; it is looking to expand to global markets, too.
