MapPoint 2006, an incremental update to Microsoft's desktop mapping client for businesses, is now available in the United States, with a European version to follow in the summer of 2006. Meanwhile, Microsoft's separate MapPoint Web service is being moved to the newer Virtual Earth platform.

The MapPoint client has traditionally targeted mobile workers and Office users who need to locate addresses or visualize and analyze mapped data, such as sales territories or revenue by geography. MapPoint 2006 includes new mapping data and improvements for mobile workers, such as location detection based on local Wi-Fi hotspots, voice-based driving directions, and a new edition bundled with a GPS receiver. However, like past versions, the geographic data in the MapPoint client is static, and the client does not connect to Microsoft's MapPoint Web service or to the newer Virtual Earth platform. In addition, while some map data has been updated—particularly European maps—other information, such as Canadian demographic information, has been removed.

Despite the new client release, Microsoft's MapPoint products face an uncertain future. The MapPoint client still includes some sophisticated features for displaying and analyzing mapping data, but location-detection and voice-based driving directions are available in Microsoft's Streets and Trips, a much less expensive consumer offering. Moreover, the free Windows Live Local Web site contains constantly updated data from Microsoft's Virtual Earth platform and is being updated with new features several times per year—much more frequently than the MapPoint software.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is moving the MapPoint Web service, which gives corporate customers and ISVs a way to incorporate mapping data into their applications via a Web services API, over to the newer Virtual Earth platform, which includes more points of interest and unique visual features (such as satellite and aerial imagery), and will continue to be updated with other features, such as the ability for users to share mapping information. (Windows Live Local is based on the Virtual Earth platform.) Microsoft says it will continue to support customers of the MapPoint Web service and continue to make Virtual Earth accessible via the same Web services API as the MapPoint service is today.

The U.S. version of the MapPoint 2006 client retails for US$299, or US$349 bundled with a GPS receiver. The European version will be available in the summer.

Microsoft's MapPoint site is www.microsoft.com/mappoint/default.mspx.

Information about the Virtual Earth service is available at www.microsoft.com/virtualearth/overview.mspx.

A developer center for MapPoint and Virtual Earth is at msdn.microsoft.com/mappoint.