Why Bing Maps?
Bing Maps offers numerous advantages over the Google Maps JavaScript API. Here are just a few of them:
- Faster and more fluid map control
- A developer API that "just makes sense"
- More Powerful and Innovative API
- Modular Framework
- Enterprise Level Service
- A Global Cloud platform
Faster and more fluid map control
When it comes to performance the Bing Maps has Google Maps beat. Bing Maps can render a lot more data than Google Maps and can do so just as fast, if not faster. When dealing with small data sets on a standard browser this might not be that noticeable but if you need to display a large data set or are using a mobile browser this increased performance makes a big difference.
A developer API that "just makes sense"
Developers who have used both Bing Maps and Google Maps, often say that the Bing Maps API just feels right. It often takes less code to develop an application and it fits together nicely. It "just makes sense". Since it takes less code to develop your application, it takes less development time and means less code to maintain. Thus, providing you with more time to focus on your core application.
More Powerful and Innovative API
The Bing Maps team has spent a lot of time innovating to make the Bing Maps developer platform align with the needs of businesses. The team spends a lot of time gathering feedback from customers and users to help define which new features to add to Bing Maps. Some of the more innovative features in the latest version of Bing Maps include are:
Vector map labels which hide when overlapped by your data to ensure your data takes priority and isn't cluttered.
A spatial math library that provides easy access to over 50 powerful calculations.
Multiple road map styles designed for business intelligence type applications. This includes a dark, grayscale and a high contrast map style. These map styles allow the map to act as a canvas in the background and allows your data to stand out and be the main focus of your application.
Bing Maps has added a lot of accessibility support to help you meet your accessibility goals.
New data visualizations such as Data binning layers provide new and engaging ways to gain insight into your business data.
Modular Framework
The Bing Maps control uses a modular framework to minimize loading of features and functionalities that may not be needed when an application is loaded, such as directions. The base map control consists of several core features such as support for pushpins, polylines, polygons, and tile layers. Modules allow users to load only the features and functionalities they need, when they need them, rather than having to load all features when the application loads. For a list of modules in Bing Maps, see modules. For additional information about the modular framework in Bing Maps, see Modular Framework.
Enterprise Level Service
Bing Maps provides all licensed customers with a 99.9% service level agreement (SLA) and 24x7 phone support for production-related issues. Bing Maps also provides in-depth technical developer support through email. Many customers who went from Bing Maps to Google Maps often citied the superior technical support offering from Bing Maps as a key reason for switching back. In addition to this, the terms of use for Bing Maps often align much better with enterprise privacy and security requirements. See Bing Maps for Enterprise Developer Support Overview to learn more about the Enterprise support services available to all licensed Bing Maps customers.
A Global Cloud platform
Bing Maps provides map services to many global companies. Wherever your customers are, from New York, to London, to China and beyond, Bing Maps is there. Due to this global cloud platform, Bing Map can provide some of the fastest geocoding and routing services available.