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Mapping out strategies
February 13, 2007
Maps are very much on the mind of the delegates trying to navigate their way around the eight cavernous exhibition halls at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona. They are also on the mind of many of the companies exhibiting at the show.
Vodafone yesterday announced a deal with Google the internet company’s maps on mobile phones. The two companies are planning to create location-based services around Google Maps, so that if you type in the word "pizza" you will be shown directions to your local eateries rather than, say links for restaurants in Rome.
Nokia too is mapping out its future with the launch on Monday of the 6110 Navigator phone. The handset is equipped with GPS, and will come with pre-installed local maps. Additional maps can be loaded from Nokia Map Manager, a service the companies launched just last week.
This is all bad news for existing makers of portable navigation devices, such as TomTom. Sales of these devices have more than doubled to 15m in the past year as prices have come down. But now the mobile industry may be coming to spoil the party before it has properly started.
It is good news, however, for 3GSM attendees. Perhaps next year we will have a special mobile phone map of the Congress site and there will be less despair in trying to find mystery locations like Hall 4 level 7 HS59.
