0 Nokia relaunches: free maps on your smartphone

In a move that affects at least 20 million users of mobile phones, "smart" and has influenced the mood of European stock markets, Nokia has announced a free maps and navigation on its latest smartphone with integrated GPS. The Finnish giant has in fact made available free for the first time today the new version of satellite navigation Ovi Maps, in a move that could nearly double the current size of the market of mobile navigation and push developers to create a series of applications that fully exploit the potential of geolocation.

A novelty not only raises the challenge Apple's iPhone raises the bar but also against manufacturers of navigation systems, already besieged by the descent of Google in the market. He has shown that the reaction of European stock exchanges listing: +1.19% won by Nokia and a bump of about 10% for TomTom, a Dutch company that makes satellite navigation systems.

Already downloaded from the Internet, the new Ovi Maps covers over 180 countries and offers a range of features for vehicular and pedestrian navigation in 46 languages in 74 countries and 6 thousand points of reference three-dimensional for 200 cities around the world. For now compatible with 10 smartphones, including the N97 and the 5800 Xpress Music Mini, while it will be preloaded on Nokia devices on the market since March 2010. Other models will be added in coming weeks. The services range far beyond the driving range and free access to Lonely Planet and Michelin in an integrated environment in the territory with information, advertisements, announcements and special offers related to the location with the agreements 'local' already announced. For example if you go near a movie theater can be obtained by clicking the current programming and another to buy the ticket. Also provided utilities, such as pharmacies or the nearest public transport timetables

. In order to enhance applications that take advantage of the GPS was launched the plan Ovi Beta for Developers: Developers will have the tools to build applications that are then made available through the 'Store Ovi by Nokia. With the combination of preloaded maps and online, the service uses only a fraction of bandwidth, unlike Google and other Web-based programs, which require a continuous Internet access. The initiative would nearly double the current size of the market for mobile navigation. According to research firm Canalys, in late 2009, the people in the world used a mobile GPS navigation system were about 27 million. With today's move, analysts say, Nokia can increase the size of user base reached 50 million. According to GfK estimates, during the last two years on three phones sold under the brand Nokia have integrated GPS.