Nokia is to include GPS functionalities into all its future mobile phones, it announced today.
The Finnish mobile phone maker will allow mobile operators to provide their own regional Assisted GPS (A-GPS) services, which will help Nokia Maps users to find their way quicker. Nokia plans to include this service in all its devices from now on.
The first devices to use the A-GPS service are the Nokia 6110 Navigator , which has begun shipping in select markets, and the most recent software release of the Nokia N95 multimedia computer. If you own a Nokia N95 already, you can download the A-GPS service through the Nokia Software Updater , which will update the firmware on the device to the latest version.
Nokia said the A-GPS service can reduce the time a connected mobile device with built-in GPS needs to find its current position. The reduced fix times can increase and improve the usability for all Nokia location-based experiences, it said.
"By decreasing the time wasted while you wait for a first fix, we are increasing the enjoyment that Nokia Maps provides," said Ralph Eric Kunz, vice-president if multimedia experiences at Nokia. "Consumers now have the comfort of quick fix times which create a better navigation experience when using Nokia Maps."
The service operates along with a technical framework that allows third parties, such as service providers, to provide their own regional A-GPS services, making fix times even faster in certain areas.
A-GPS services use your mobile operator's data network, and data fees vary. To check the cost of data transfer services, contact your service provider.
