Recce’s Cool Animated 3D Maps Now Available Via SDK

I’m a big fan of independent mapping platform Recce. The company has created a unique, animated UI that’s very different from those offered by Apple, Google, Bing, Nokia/Here and Mapquest.

That UI and all the company’s data are available to third party developers through an SDK. The SDK is available for both iOS and Android and offers:

• Streams data in on demand
• Caching of data on the device
• The same immersive maps as in the Recce app

The company is calling its SDK and third party tools the “eeGeo Map Platform.” They were recently used to build maps in Japan by NTT DOCOMO. They were also previously used in Australia by local search provider Sensis.

The Japan and Australia implementations were special projects. The developer SDK right now supports full coverage in the US, Canada and UK. I’m sure other countries will be added in the near term.

Given the entrenchment of the big mapping providers, this platform strategy is where the future lies for the company — assuming it’s not acquired in the near term.

Game developers is another audience that might be very interested in the platform. The UI is very well suited to 3D map-based gaming and other, similar scenarios. The video below provides a good sense of the user experience.