Nokia, mobile devices maker, has announced plans to make walk and drive navigation free on its smart phones as part of a new version of Ovi Maps, available for download at www.nokia.com/maps. Nokia’s mapping and navigation software has been specifically designed for mobile use and is based on unique hybrid technology. The new version of Ovi Maps would include all essential car and pedestrian navigation features, such as turn-by-turn voice guidance for 74 countries in 46 languages, and traffic information for over 10 countries, as well as detailed maps for over 180 countries. 

“We want to make using your mobile for navigation as familiar as using it to send a text or take a picture. We believe that making the best maps with voice guided navigation available for free would be the catalyst to do this,” Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president, Nokia, explained, asking, “Why have a mobile phone and a separate car navigation system that works in only one country or region?”  He said it was better to put the two together, make it free, make it global so that the customer could have something that truly useful and could help him get round almost any city in the world whether on foot or driving.

According to Vanjoki, five key features set Ovi Maps apart, namely no hidden costs, best global coverage, no network congestion, unique hybrid technology, and voice guidance and traffic information turn-by-turn. He said Ovi Maps was immediately available for download for 10 Nokia handsets, including the popular Nokia N97 mini, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia E72, with more Nokia smart phones expected to be added in the coming

weeks. In the meantime, current owners of Nokia smart phones that are compatible with the new Ovi Maps can download it free of charge from www.nokia.com/maps. He disclosed that from March 2010, new Nokia GPS-enabled smartphones would 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.