Nokia to Release Pedestrian-Friendly Version of Maps in 2008

STOCKHOLM -(Dow Jones)- The world's largest mobile phone maker, Finland's Nokia, said Monday a pedestrian-friendly mapping system will be available some time in 2008 as part of the company's mobile phone navigation offering.

"The next step is pedestrian navigation, where we can show bridges, paths through parks, or even subway entrances," said Nokia's Michael Halbherr, director of location based experiences.

Halbherr said Nokia's mobile navigation program has been built up over the past two and a half years, and has "millions" of customers. While global position satellite, or GPS, is only available on several phones at this point, "eventually, all devices will have it," he said. Although accessing GPS is only possible outside, a hybrid using a technology that would allow indoor coverage, such as Wi-Fi, a wireless Internet connection, will eventually become available, Halbherr said.

Nokia wants to diversify its product portfolio from mainly handsets and is looking to be known as a software and services provider as well.

Earlier this year, Nokia presented its Internet services portal, Ovi, Finnish for door. Nokia hopes to attract customers with its music store offering, access to navigation maps, as well as an assortment of video games.

Last week the company said it received backing for its Internet strategy when global operator Vodafone Group aligned itself with the Ovi Web-services platform.

At 1435 GMT, Nokia traded EUR0.20 lower, or 0.8%, at EUR25.99, outperforming a broadly lower Helsinki market.

-By Adam Ewing, Dow Jones Newswires; +46 8 545 130 95; adam.ewing@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

Posted to the site on 12th November 2007