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Nokia to offer free mobile map apps for consumers
2014-09-03 16:36:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) Nokia's mapping business Here plans to release its own free mobile apps to consumers. The apps will be available by the end of the year for Android and iOS devices, Nokia executive Sean Fernback said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. To differentiate its apps from the many other offers on the market, Nokia is focusing on making the mapping info available without an internet connection. "I'm convinced people are looking for alternatives," Fernback said. "Google Maps is a good solution for many, their maps work very well, but it has looked the same and done the same for a long time." Nokia's new apps will include the option to download maps for offline use, as well as search without an internet connection, using the GPS. Nokia doesn't expect any immediate financial returns from the new map applications, as it hasn't built up an advertising operation to support the service and has no plans to do so for now. However, the free maps are expected to generate feedback to help fine-tune Nokia's location engine, which also drives its mapping applications for wholesale customers.
Tags: free
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Category:Telecommunications