"Not a client side problem. I just ran it through a network capture. (see here[1] )<p>Google is 302 redirecting anything with a WinPhone user agent to the main page. This may be a bug rather than an intentional thing, but it's Google's bug to be sure." Source: <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/15yx0a/after_microsoft_complains_that_google_is_blocking/c7r47v8?context=3" rel="nofollow">http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/15yx0a/after_mic...</a><p>[1] <a href="http://i.imgur.com/Hfum6.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://i.imgur.com/Hfum6.jpg</a><p>---<p>And update here:<p><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/4/3836510/windows-phone-8-users-unable-to-access-google-maps" rel="nofollow">http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/4/3836510/windows-phone-8-use...</a><p>Seems this is 100% intentional from Google. What the fuck? I was completely blindsided by this, I couldn't imagine a huge company like Google doing this at this scale.
Google's statement:<p><i>The mobile web version of Google Maps is optimized for WebKit browsers such as Chrome and Safari. However, since Internet Explorer is not a WebKit browser, Windows Phone devices are not able to access Google Maps for the mobile web.</i><p>Microsoft's response:<p><i>Internet Explorer in Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 use the same rendering engine.</i>
Again a open case of abusing Monopoly. Google keep forcing the users as it want and everyone says, its a free service and can be bent as Google want. It forces to use Google Plus for may services, forces to log in to Google to install chrome extensions.
It's certainly an interesting development, Microsoft has been gunning for Google by any means, fair or foul: <a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/01/03/googles-ftc-settlement-is-an-epic-fail-for-microsoft" rel="nofollow">http://readwrite.com/2013/01/03/googles-ftc-settlement-is-an...</a><p>Now it seems Google is doing pay-back by crippling Microsoft's Phone efforts by not offering their services on them. I can't feel sorry for Microsoft in the least, it seems like finally they are subjected to 'what you reap is what you sow'.
I remember when it was Opera that people cared so little about that they regularly banned it, purely by accident. Not a good place for Windows Phone to be.<p><a href="http://www.alistapart.com/articles/msn/" rel="nofollow">http://www.alistapart.com/articles/msn/</a>
I guess we're forgetting how expensive it is to officially support IE. When Windows phone first launched it came with some sort of IE6/7 combo and was, of course, another nightmare from Microsoft for web developers.<p>If it were up to me, I wouldnt have my developers waste the effort on a browser/device that doesnt matter. However, I have not targeted the newest version of mobile IE, it is on my list, I have read that it is magnitudes better than what they originally shipped.
Relatedly, see also the Youtube access blocking on Windows Phone <a href="http://www.wpcentral.com/youtube-access-and-windows-phone-microsoft-throws-down-gauntlet" rel="nofollow">http://www.wpcentral.com/youtube-access-and-windows-phone-mi...</a>
I haven't tested WP8 devices but the default browser on WP7.5 didn't support pinch gestures so google just displayed a page saying "Your device is not supported".