[maaaats]

Most you can do with Google Maps is cache some layer pictures. All search, routes etc. takes a round trip to Google's servers. Which makes it useless abroad, for instance. With HERE, you download an entire country, and use it (search, route planning etc.) without using data. Works fantastically.

[Loque]

Hardly an impossible feature to add to a mapping product tho? We are basically talking downloading the map tiles to the device you want to browse from.

[vetinari]

HERE maps are not pre-rendered tiles, they are heavily compressed geometries and features. That's why it can do searches and navigation offline.

[Loque]

That is interesting, as OVI maps was tiles IIRC, thanks!