Google Maps cuts off access for Internet Explorer users on Windows Phones

Santa Clara, CA, United States (4E) – Microsoft and Google — two of the biggest names in the tech industry — are engaged in a back-and-forth rivalry involving Google Maps and Windows Phone. Windows Phone users, particularly those who browse with Internet Explorer, are reporting that their Windows Phones can no longer access Google Maps. Google Maps never supported Windows Phones to begin with but at least users were able to access it.

Now, Google seems to have cut of Windows Phone users from using Google Maps entirely. Windows Phone users are redirected from Google Maps to Google’s homepage upon access. The issue has been widely reported on forums and blogs.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer used on Windows Phones does not utilize the same rendering engine Google Maps uses for its WebKit on several smartphones in the market. Even if this was the case, Internet Explorer users were able to access Google Maps beforehand.

Google took time to address the matter via Gizmodo:

“The mobile web version of Google Maps is optimized for WebKit browsers such as Chrome and Safari. However, since Internet Explorer is not a WebKit browser, Windows Phone devices are not able to access Google Maps for the mobile web.”

This is the second time Google has fired a shot at Microsoft in the past weeks. The first shot Google fired was an announcement stating it doesn’t want to be involved with Microsoft’s exchange platform anymore. Microsoft was admittedly surprised by this decision by Google.

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