Nokia maps out its future

This year Nokia launched the N95 handset, the first to include an in-built GPS unit, and has more recently added the 6110 and the 330, a "dedicated navigation system" (meaning it doesn’t also act as a phone). Most new handsets have GPS functionality when connected to a peripheral GPS receiver. CommsDay spoke extensively with Nokia's head of product management, Matt Gaskell, and the multimedia sales director of Nokia APAC David Watkins, who both talked about iNokia’s vision of convergence devices. David Watkins said, “We see GPS as a key trend in the future. It isn’t just turn-by-turn navigation. It’s much more... with new handsets, [stand alone] MP3 players are going to become more marginalised... cameras are going to become more marginalised, and we’re seeing the same thing with navigation.” He added, “Nokia’s making a very large strategic investment in mapping,” and said that the ultimate aim of GPS applications is “creating services around a digitised version of the world.” Mr.