Russia’s most visited website and leading search engine, Yandex, announced yesterday in a press release that it has purchased a license for digital maps supplied by world-leading location content provider, NAVTEQ. In using NAVTEQ’s comprehensive map data, Yandex follows in the footsteps of Bing and Yahoo who also rely on data from the Nokia subsidiary.
Yandex expands its global reach
When Yandex launched a local search engine in Turkey last year, yandex.com.tr, this somewhat indicated the company’s ambitious expansion plans. The roll-out back then was supported with map data from NAVTEQ: “We already have a happy experience sourcing map content from NAVTEQ. The detailed map of Turkey launched last year was the first map we licensed from NAVTEQ. And it was a tremendous success,” said Maria Orlova, head of Yandex.Maps Production and Quality Control Service.
According to the press release, this new comprehensive deal will provide Yandex with map content from all over the world, including highly detailed maps of Europe, North America, Australia and developed countries in Asia. For Yandex, obviously, this is a significant move towards strengthening its position outside of Russia. Maria Orlova adds: “Our association with NAVTEQ, the leading map content provider, will help us take Yandex.Maps to the level of a comprehensive, all-purpose mapping service that can answer questions about countries throughout the world.”
The mobile platform will gain impetus
After acquiring major mobile software developer SPB Software in late 2011, Yandex CEO Arkady Volozh expressed that mobile is a vital part of the company’s growth strategy. Surely, this deal will be integrated on all major platforms, but above all it reflects the great emphasis given to the high-growth mobile area – arguably the most important future battlefield. How Yandex will move forward with this deal will be interesting to see.
Preston Carey from Yandex will be speaking at the International Search Summit @ SMX West on 27 February.
Immanuel Simonsen
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