Freemium services for all with Nokia Maps
Nokia announced its 'free-mium' map services for drive-and-walk navigation on mobile phones, today, writes Brad Rees, January 21, 2010.
Using what Nokia's Anssi Vanjoki calls a "groundbreaking hybrid technology" the service will be light on operator network bandwidth and has an intuitive interface, much like the free Google maps service which was announced from Mountain View, California in 2009.
What Nokia brings to the mobile application industry which Google does not yet are 83-million devices which can support the maps, worldwide. Although mister Vanjoki admitted Nokia didn't know how many of them are actively in use.
From 10.30 today, the service will be available in 74 countries, 46 languages and will allow location-aware services such as social networking sites Facebook and Twitter to be accessed live from the maps, which work in your car or while walking.
The launch devices worldwide include the consumer-friendly N97 mini and the mass market touchscreen 5800 XpressMusic.
Nokia Maps will come loaded with the Michelin Guide and Lonely Planet content as well as Time Out guides such as Time Out
Rupert Englander, Head of Services Marketing for Nokia
"Nokia Maps provides an eco system for developers and in turn breaks down the barriers for consumers taking up content-sensitive services on their mobile phones."
Asked if the maps would work on other brands of mobile device with the same operating system, he declined to comment.