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Jan. 22, 2010

Nokia has repeatedly said it wants to be the global leader in mobile navigation and today the handset maker is beginning to offer turn-by-turn vehicle and pedestrian voice-guided navigation on no less than ten of its best-selling smartphone devices.

Not only that, but the service is even free, Nokia says.

One big advantage that Nokia is really proud about is its global presence. While Google Maps Navigation is available only in the U.S., Nokia's voice-guided navigation is available in 74 countries and works in 46 languages, and to top it all off, both male and female voices are available in all those languages.

Nokia is an experienced mobile handset maker and knows how to make its navigation service work without rapidly draining battery life and in providing full access to detailed maps without needing a network connection.

Similar to Google's mapping system, Nokia's solutions provides access to GPS signals so that the system knows where the user is at any given moment. However, Nokia says it goes a step further by not requiring an always-on connection to the network.

Users can download the maps just once if they wish and they don't need to reconnect to view those maps again, it will simply remember them. Nokia also offers network-based caller-ID and will add Wi-Fi positioning in the coming weeks.

While drive navigation is one in which Nokia's Navteq division invested heavily, getting pedestrian routes is another thing all together. Navteq's map designers left the cars behind and walked or used bicycles to collect the data.

Nokia executives say what's really exciting is the potential for mobile apps developers to come up with new features that can potentially branch out into new services. There are about 1.4 million Nokia developers worldwide, and the list is growing fast.

Nokia has even provided some selected apps developers and publishers a preview of the Ovi APIs and SDK - Beta that will allow them to build such applications. The apps will be made available through Nokia's Ovi Store.

Ovi Maps is available today for download for ten Nokia handsets, including the Nokia N-97 mini, the Nokia 5800 Xpress-Music and Nokia E-72 handset, with more Nokia smartphones expected to be added in the coming weeks.

Current owners of Nokia smartphones that are already compatible with the new Ovi Maps can download it free from www.nokia.com/maps.

In about 6 weeks, new Nokia GPS-enabled smartphones will include the new version of Ovi Maps, pre-loaded with local country map data, with high-end walk and drive navigation and access to Lonely Planet and Michelin travel guides at no extra cost.

Dominique Bonte, practice director at ABI Research says "Nokia's free navigation system is potentially even more disruptive than Google's offer."

"While free Google navigation is only available in the U.S. and on just a select few Android phones, free Ovi Maps are rolled out globally and on a larger number of Nokia smartphones," says Bonte.

"Meanwhile, Ovi Maps is based on state-of-the-the-art Navteq digital maps and proven navigation software, making it very difficult to compete against with even premium offers," added Bonte.

ABI Research says Nokia's move will help its beleaguered position in the smartphone market and potentially create even more momentum for the company's open LBS development platform.

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Source: Nokia.