We knew that Ovi Maps was something special when Nokia released the latest version – Ovi Maps 3.03 – with its free turn-by-turn navigation, but even we didn’t realise just how popular it would be. Nokia’s Q1 results reveal that the sat-nav application has been downloaded over 10 million times, absolutely eclipsing rivals. To find out more about the success of Ovi Maps, read on after the jump…
Ovi Maps is arguably the best free application you can download, and a good reason in itself to buy a new Nokia smartphone. The completely free turn-by-turn navigation and the inclusion of a comprehensive Lonely Planet guide means you really can leave the dedicated sat-nav at home. It seems like we’re not the only ones to think Ovi Maps is great, however, as it’s been downloaded a staggering 10 million times.
Is Ovi Maps Still The Best Sat-Nav Application?
Although Ovi Maps 3.03 has been limited to a set amount of handsets – such as the Nokia N97 Mini or Nokia X6 – with older models unable to support the latest version, it hasn’t stopped the application being incredibly successful, taking on rivals such as Google Maps and providing a more comprehensive service. For a start, nothing else on the market lets you download all the maps you need for free, which is part of the reason it’s so popular.
Nokia can also thank Ovi Maps for some of the growth the company has seen in Q1 2010, and the inclusion of Ovi Maps on all new GPS-enabled Nokia handsets will go on to drive consumers into picking Nokia above over manufacturers.