Is Huawei planning a Google Maps alternative? Map Kit debuts in October

Huawei isn’t just launching its own OS to move away from the likes of Google and Android, the company also seems to be developing a Google Maps alternative.

A report by China Daily on Tuesday revealed that Huawei plans to release a new mapping service called Map Kit, which will cover 150 countries in 40 languages around the world by connecting to local map services.

The company has reportedly partnered with a number of international countries to develop Map Kit, including Russian company Yandex and US travel company Booking Holdings.

Map Kit itself isn’t for consumers though, the report adds, noting that it’s “designed to encourage software developers to come up with applications based on its mapping capabilities”. So don’t expect an actual Google Maps rival to suddenly appear on Huawei devices any time soon.

News of Map Kit’s existence comes after Huawei recently unveiled its own Harmony OS, another move away from its reliance on Google and US firms following its now infamous US ban.

Map Kit is expected to launch in October.

Feature image: Memeburn