Microsoft releases new Bing Maps app preview for Windows 8.1

Microsoft has reportedly rolled out a new Bing Maps app for the latest Windows 8.1 as a preview of the changes to its mapping service.

Microsoft said that the new app has been built from the `ground up` to provide the detail and mapping features one can expect in a modern app and it supports the various Snap Views in Windows 8.1 and the notification features of the operating system, alongside Live Tile support.

According to The Verge, Microsoft’s existing Bing Maps app for Windows 8 provides similar features, but the company has built in StreetSide support in the latest preview version.

The new ‘bubble view’ will preview StreetSide imagery alongside maps with road names, and the maps will also rotate when a user moves around the interface.

The new app will also have a visible search-box in the interface, with navigation controls placed on the left-hand side apart from real traffic notification feature on the Live Tile.

The Bing Maps preview app is available on the Windows Store.