Nokia has added free turn-by-turn navigation to its mapping software, piling the pressure on TomTom and Garmin’s premium offerings.
The handset maker claims to have detailed maps for 180 countries, and voice-guided navigation available for 74 countries in 46 languages. The software will be able to offer either pedestrian or car-based directions.
Alongside the free turn-by-turn software, Nokia is also making its traffic information free – this includes the details of speed cameras and speed limits.
While customers will need to be connected to the internet for this service to work, the navigation software will operate offline, a significant advantage over Google’s rival offering.
Developers now have a huge mash-up environment to work with, and together with our standardised APIs this will give a real boost to the whole developer community
The technology has also been revamped to make use of vector graphics, rather than the bitmap images currently employed by rivals. Nokia claims this will reduce data consumption when downloading maps by 90%, which could put a smile on the face of already overloaded network operators.
The free software will be rolled out on all future GPS-enabled Nokia handsets, and can be downloaded for ten handsets including the N97 mini, E72 and Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. More will be added in the coming weeks.
The Maemo-powered N900 was conspicuous by its absence, but Nokia says it will add support for the OS in the future – though no specific dates were given. Also missing was the popular N97, but again Nokia promised to roll the service out over the next month.
The move counters Google’s decision to offer free maps and turn-by-turn navigation on Android phones, and Nokia’s banking on the service attracting to developers to its apps platform.
“This will change many things for Nokia,” says Nokia’s general manager Anssi Vanjoki. “Developers now have a huge mash-up environment to work with, and together with our standardised APIs this will give a real boost to the whole developer community. Given customer demand for these services we expect to see a boost in handset sales.”
Asked whether the service would grow to include adverts, Vanjoki said “It’s not our thinking right now. Of course, longer term, it’s a fantastic platform for adverts.”
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