Nokia Ovi Maps to rival Sat Navs

The new service from Ovi will appear on ten new models from Nokia and can also be downloaded for free from the Ovi store for current Nokia users. Maps are stored on the phone to reduce the need to download through the network and with such similar functions to sat nav systems it could prove to be a challenge for the market. There is an estimated 83 million phones that can currently use Ovi Maps, downloaded from the Ovi store. It will be covered in 180 countries and in 74 of them, turn by turn services will be available along with voice navigation. 

Nokia have had major rivals to compete with such as Apple and Blackberry, and the new Ovi Maps system could be what they need to pull them out of the water. Smartphones have many handy applications available with satellite navigation being just one of them. Google Maps had a devastating effect on the Sat Nav market as TomTom shares were dropped by 13% last year and now with Nokia including Ovi Maps, it could be a sad farewell to the sat nav.