Nokia offering free turn-by-turn navigation on smartphones globally (updated)
By Thomas Ricker 
posted January 21st 2010 4:35AM
posted January 21st 2010 4:35AM
Update: The original San Francisco Chronicle report has been pulled but Google cache caught a bit more saying that Nokia's navigation service is "capable of operating completely offline" unlike Google Navigation which requires data connectivity.
Update 2: Nokia just made the download link live. Hey, where's the N97 and N900 love?
Update 3: And it's official. Starting today, Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation is free across the globe. Drivers receive turn-by-turn voice guidance including lane assistance, traffic information (in 10 countries including the US), and safety camera and speed warnings while pedestrians will be guided on shortcuts through parks and pedestrian-only zones in over 100 cities across the globe. It all works offline too, which should extend battery life and keep that navigation humming even while puttering about in data dead zones without racking up international roaming charges (take that, Google). From March 2010, all new Nokia GPS-enabled smartphones will come installed with the new Ovi Maps application and pre-loaded with local country map data and walk and drive navigation with access to location-aware Lonely Planet and Michelin travel guides at no extra cost. Additional premium guides like a weather service and events / movies are also included. Just 10 devices from Nokia's massive catalog are available today -- a list that includes the N97 Mini, 5800 XpressMusic, 5800 navigation edition, E52, E55, E72, 5230, 6710 navigator, 6730 classic and X6.
So what's missing? The N97 and N900 of course. Find out why after the break.
[Thanks, Jussi]
In a call with Michael Halbherr, Nokia's VP of Social Location, we were told that the new Ovi Maps would arrive on the flagship N97 very shortly. It's currently a "software logistics issue" related to the maturity of the N97 device. N900 owners shouldn't hold their breath, though, as Nokia is focusing on bringing its free navigation service to the next generation of Maemo devices. That's not to say that the N900 won't get it eventually, only that it's not currently on the roadmap.
Update: A support note from Nokia was just issued saying that the new Ovi Maps will be released for the N97 on January 28th. [Thanks, Philip, B]
Nokia also gave us some insight into the financials of today's move. Instead of nickel-and-diming its users for individual services, Nokia is taking a "solution pricing" approach that is more attractive to potential customers. In other words, by making the platform more tempting through a robust feature set, Nokia will sell more high-margin smartphones and thus boost the bottom line. A move that certainly makes sense to us. Hey Nokia, high-fives all around! Now check the video for a peek of Ovi Maps in action.
Is this really free, or only free for the models listed on the front page of OVI maps? I downloaded the N95 8GB version and the licence is for 1 month only?
Been digging around and it seems like this is the case and Ovi Maps will only be free for "selected" premium phones - Nokia kept that one quiet!!
@deandunn
Ovi Maps is available for all S60 devices plus some ultra low cost S40 phones. That's a huge number of phones, probably between 30-50 million new devices each quarter.
@ArticiaS
Oh and regarding your N95:
That is S60 3rd FP1. Ovi Maps 3.0.3 (which includes the free licence) is currently only available for S60 3rd FP2 and S60 5th edition. S60 3rd FP1 version will be available before March.
@ArticiaS Good to know - If this is the case, having the information displayed clearly somewhere would help.
I just downloaded this to my 5800 and used it once and it was awesome, the voice directions were excellent, am loving 5800 with v40.xxx firmware
I would hope that they want to provide a better solution for Ovi Maps on Maemo, Qt must come into this surely? My next purchase will definitely be a Maemo device and this is important to me.
Stupid question but I need to make sure I understand...
So if I have a Nokia smartphone, I can use GPS, without the internet? As in I can download the maps, and be in the middle of nowhere with no service, and still not get lost?
If so this is way better than google navigation, how much storage will the maps take?
@TheHypnotist
Yes you are right. This has been a feature of Nokia Maps from before.
Good move by Nokia - It is interesting to see this move. GOOG got the buzz going with bringing free turn-by-turn navigation on the Droid but it was limited to the US. OTOH Nokia, the quintessential elephant just shook itself off a bit for a change and showed what it means to sell phones across different price segments in 100s of countries. In one tsunami-like sweep it activated a user base which neither Apple nor Google have with their mobile devices.
BTW one thing to note is that this free turn-by-turn navigation is not limited to smartphones (S60, Maemo) but has also been available on select low-priced S40 phones since beginning of this year - this is a segment no data plan-based navigation (like Google Maps) can touch yet.
@naashak
Wow, that's pretty awesome... About how much space would the maps of the U.S. take up? Also does this mean that Goggle will follow in their footsteps? Not only from an international perspective, but from an offline perspective?
@TheHypnotist
I have maps for the US, UK, France, Korea, and Japan on my phone. This takes up a little less than 2GB on my SD card. Granted, I don't have this new version of maps, and the data for Korea and Japan is pretty sparse. Still, I'm very happy with the way it works offline. It was terrific when I was in France last year--I could use maps even without any phone service at all.
@pj100
Wow, that's fucking epic. I really hope google does the same, does anyone think that is likely?
@TheHypnotist
I would think that Google isn't going to follow. Two things are against it.
1. Google doesn't have its own map data outside US. Especially their navigation data isn't all that good yet since they are doing it all from scratch.
2. Google's business idea is to collect info, can't do that offline.
Hey what happens to those of us who brought the 5800 navigation edition???? I think on average we paid about 90 dollars more for this version. So the music version has free music for a year and now free ovi maps service and updates, plus it's cheaper????
@hubble
Here in US, Nav. edition is sometimes sold at same price as 5800Xpressmusic or 20 to 30$ higher or even sometimes, 20 to 30$ cheaper than xpressmusic. Go figure!!
However, i have heard that 5800 Nav. edition is not supported by Ovi store, so you can't download apps. Is that true? I have Xpressumusic edition.
@(Unverified)
It has the ovi store, as far as I can tell, it's the exact same thing as the music version, even says musicexpress on it, just that it has a chrome finish and mate back. The units in the U.S. since it's release about a month ago on average is 30 to 60 dollars more expensive than the regular 5800. Some stores have it for more. I just think it's right to release the navigation edition charge more for the features then give it away a month later for free.
Hopefully they won't screw over the n900 users. If they add this to the n900 they'll have my money real soon.
@look a cow
I think the biggest problem with N900 is simply that the software is not ready. The navigation software on N900 actually has had route instructions since the last update. The voice part just isn't there yet.
This is an awesome marketing move. Maybe even for the US. I can see At&t and T-mobile come out with subsidized models promoting the GPS capabilities of the Nokias.
And it should put less stress on their data-networks than the google-nav solution would require.
Financially?
Nokia paid 8 Billion $ for Navteq. In order to recoup that money and assuming they can get a $10 premium for their Nav enabled devices they'd need to sell 800 Million phones. That's a lot of hardware they need to move ...
Well, okay there are other revenue streams coming from Navteq too, so the actual number of phones to sell might be significantly lower...
@sovatar
Yes Navteq has been doing small profit too. Personally I think Nokia will be happy if Navteq doesn't go into negative. I think the value is alot more than 10$. Even if we consider that to be the price, most feature phone makers would be hard pressed to cut prices even that much currently.
DAMNIT. I knew I should've gotten a Nokia rather than the piece of junk I got from Samsung... That navigation actually looks pretty sweet, hopefully other manufacturers follow suite =)
@AndrewAmazed
Everybody seems to be talking about smartphones, but the biggest group hit is definitely the feature phones. Why buy samsung 100 to 200 and pay nearly hundred bucks more for navigation, when you can just as well buy Nokia and get it for free. The pricing structure just got a major redo in nav section and there is very little Samsung can do.
@AndrewAmazed
It will be pretty difficult for competitors to follow suit. Web based w data connection necessary, maybe yes. Just from the device not using any data plan ? - That will be hard.
But competition is not sleeping, we shall see.
Right now? - Advantage Nokia.
@sovatar - Not entirely true. The navigation apps for iPhone (TomTom, Navigon, ALK) also use maps that are downloaded into the phone. So no need to use your data plan there either. Of course, those apps are not free. I'm expecting lower prices soon though!
Great news indeed!
I tried out the turn-by-turn navigation on my E71 just a few days ago, and was hugely impressed by it. It actually got me to where I was going, without giving me a hugely round-about route to follow. I'd actually considered shelling out the 80 bucks a year or whatever it was to have constant access to it. Looks like I won't need to do that anymore... at least once E71 support is added. Ovi maps is great. The ability to load data onto the phone and work offline is great. Even if you don't care about data usage, it definitely speeds things up.
I think US carriers will be pissed at this Nokia move. For one, navigation is a payed option - 10$/month on ATT. Second, carriers actually want you to use data - that's another 30$/month. The way I see it, they loose up to 40$/month if customers buy Nokia phone.
@Bruno
Well US carriers are the reason most people know nothing about Nokia, so I would think the feeling is mostly mutual ;)
@Bruno
You're right, but I could not care less about the US carriers. First, only two of them use GSM (world standard). Then there is no real competition as a particular phone is almost always technically linked to one carrier (3G on At&t uses different frequencies than 3G on T-mobile). And finally I only had bad experiences with their network reliability and their customer service. Would be nice to have better choices.
Another looser in this one is Apple. I think they will sue Nokia now, since they hold a lot of essential navigation patents, like holding a finger on the screen and dragging it, the map is dragged another way.
@Bruno
LMAO. Ist this patent called "PTP" (pinch to pan)?
Can't begin to describe how disappointed I am with N900 not getting this.
What the hell is this shit. I mean really. I'm so beginning to regret wanting to see where Nokia goes next with its phones so I got the N900. Thought I was supporting this.
Well I understand that probably voice guided navigation was never finished for the N900 so. But still.
Nokia 1 - others 0
Nice move. It's hard to make it up to all the N97 users out there though, who've had a horrible experience with their so-called flagship phone right from the start.
I've been a Nokia customer from the 2110 (the 1994 flagship) onwards, but my N97 has been the first Nokia that actually needed to have both hardware and software replacements (new GPS back cover, new camera lens, several firmware upgrades, three hard resets) in order to even support the functions that were originally advertised.
What is it about navigation though? How often do you really have to travel through unknown territory? I always smile when I see TomToms being used by commuters who know every inch of their daily route, every potential traffic jam and every possible speed trap location by heart. It's technology obsession, nothing else.
@Freezer
I think the biggest beauty of all this is that this is pretty much global.
Google offers US only. Buying Nav soft I am usually limited to a continent or some such without paying extra. With this, you go on a business trip or holiday and the maps are there when you actually need them. And without any need to pay those enormous abroad data charges.
@Rev Free will always win of course. I liked the previous Nokia business model too - you could have a subscription for your regular region (the whole of Western Europe in my case) and then add 30 day licenses for other regions as you needed them. The maps were always free to begin with.
The nav apps for the iPhone come with their own maps as well, so no need to pay roaming charges. But those apps are limited to specific regions, true.
Street view ....
http://conversations.nokia.com/2010/01/22/making-maps-with-navteq/#more-13301
I just installed it on the N97 (not mini) and it works great. If you look closely on the 3rd video, the Nokia Maps is running on the N97 (not mini)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRbCoh66yuU Hitler Finds Out Nokia's Ovi Maps Turn By Turn navigation is now free
Dang CJ, no E71 support?
I cant wait for the Firmware update and Ovi Maps for the N97 and hopefully Nokia will keep to the promise of Jan 28.
My phone N97 just flashed now with a question asking if i want to check for updates, i clicked yes but no updates available but i guess something will happen soon, hopefully by tomorrow as promised. Nokia, please don't disappoint
Japie? That's a bit racist, no?
HA - love the viral they're suing to promote this. Dark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HogpF3Q6gpU