The launch is a direct response to Google, which in October launched a new version of Google Maps Navigation for version 2.0 of its Android operating system. It combines Google Maps, Street View, voice search and turn-by-turn voice directions.
“With Google’s move to make [advanced navigation] free it was only a question of when Nokia would follow that route as well,” said Paolo Pescatore, analyst at CCS Insight.
The ultimate aim for Nokia is to increase the popularity of navigation and location-aware services on mobile phones, and then use that to support new business models, including ad-based services, according to Pescatore. Nokia stands to lose some revenue, but only a small proportion of its users were paying for more advanced navigation features.
However, it represents a serious blow for navigation companies like Telmap and TomTom, according to CCS Insight.
