Benefits of the Bing Maps API mapping platform

NOTE: An updated version of this article can be found in the Microsoft Maps Blog.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/maps/news/benefits-of-the-bing-maps-api-mapping-platform

Building a truly versatile app that can cater to every customer's needs requires a platform that can handle a multitude of different tasks, whether that’s mapping or data management. Bing Maps API is a mapping platform equipped with a robust set of tools that enable developers to incorporate geolocation and other advanced features. Here’s a brief look at some of the functionality developers can expect from Bing Maps API.

Distance visualization made easy

Figuring out how to handle distance calculations can be a challenge for smaller businesses that lack the expertise to do it on a larger scale. Bing Maps Isochrone API provides developers with an easily scalable solution to the distance problem. The Isochrone API can be used to calculate travel times and travel-distance polygons for a given area, producing an isochrone map that can then be embedded in an app or web program.

As a mapping platform, Bing Maps API upgrades even common features like distance calculations with relevant contextual information such as predictive traffic. LinkedIn tapped into this functionality when looking for a platform that would incorporate geolocation and location intelligence to make job hunting simpler.

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High-res mapping

Enterprise-level operations rely on high-res imagery to make critical decisions. Bing Maps API provides developers access to a massive collection of high-resolution location data on its mapping platform. Businesses across a range of industries rely on this data to scale up with unique mapping insights. At a resolution of 60-30 cm/pixel, this imagery has been captured using high-powered cameras on planes and satellites.

As well as being complemented by multiple sources of high-fidelity data, the API also offers the flexibility to view locations from multiple angles. The bird’s eye imagery provided by Bing Maps API taps into a range of different vantage points using multiple cameras to capture data at a 45-degree angle. Businesses have access to an unmatched level of depth when it comes to location data, strengthening an already robust geolocation platform on the back end.

Mapping for the web

Creating web applications that run natively with less code and more functionality is easy with V8 Web Control. Supplement your mapping features on other devices with a web platform that runs seamlessly across different devices. Web apps with V8 Web Control are powered by the HTML5 Canvas and support critical Bing Maps API features like real-time traffic and animated map tile layers. Developers will also have access to popular location intelligence features like Autosuggest API, enabling powerful web apps that can rise to the challenge.

For developers with less experience working with geolocation platforms, Bing Maps API offers an expansive sandbox environment for experimentation and growth. Anyone can hop into the V8 Interactive SDK to check out existing code samples and even write their own. They’ll have access to a range of different mapping applications, from data layering to spatial math modules.

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Extensive support options

A fully-fledged mapping platform needs to be backed by an extensive support system, providing developers with an array of options. Bing Maps API is supported by a library of detailed documentation that covers every aspect of the platform. Developers can easily find guides that walk them through the entire spectrum of development with Bing Maps API — all the way from getting a key to easy samples for developing web apps and a live experience using the V8 Web Control interactive SDK.

For external issues and other questions, there’s also a great support mechanism that includes a meticulous FAQ and even a thriving forum of developers for assistance and collaboration. Enterprise users also benefit from a dedicated Developer Support Team that provides comprehensive assistance — whether it’s a basic question about getting started or advanced queries about our geolocation platform.

Getting onboard a new mapping platform can be tough for developers with limited experience working with geolocation APIs. References go a long way in coding, and that’s why Bing Maps API supplements its library of documentation with an elaborate offering of code samples. Easy links to Bing Maps GitHub along with images and explanations further lower the entry barrier for beginners looking to integrate mapping into their apps.

Where do I start?

The greatest benefit of Bing Maps API as a mapping platform is its holistic nature. With support for app and web development at every stage of the process, the Bing Maps API ecosystem makes it simple for organizations to get started.