This could be war.
Windows Phone users now can't access Google Maps using the in-built Internet Explorer browser on their devices.
It could be a fault: Google has never officially supported WP devices, but, despite that, maps worked fine.
Or it could be Google deliberately blocking WP. And if this is the case, it's a major escalation in the war raging between Google, which develops the best-selling Android mobile operating system, and Microsoft with its comparatively new WP platform.
Google has refused to release any apps for the WP operating system and it won't even allow Microsoft's YouTube app the same access as apps produced for iOS and Android.
Watch this space.
Update: It's now known that devices running both WP7 and WP8 now cannot access the Google Maps website.
Update 2: Google has issued a statement to Gizmodo:
"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."
All well and good, but why has Google Maps suddenly stopped working on WP devices? Looks like Google pushed a button somewhere.
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