Nokia has given us plenty to think about at Nokia Connections this year, and while it may not hog the limelight like the stunning new Nokia N9, there's no question that Nokia Maps coming to Series 40 devices is a hugely significant move.

Nokia C2-02, Nokia C2-03, Nokia C2-06 Touch and Type launched at Nokia Connection 2011

It's a move that clearly reinforces Nokia's commitment to deliver innovation to all levels of its business, and it further blurs the lines between the concepts of a feature phone and a smartphone.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. In case you missed it, the gorgeous new Series 40-based Touch & Type trio of the Nokia C2-02, Nokia C2-03 and Nokia C2-06 will come with free market-relevant maps for Nokia Maps pre-installed, meaning you'll be able to use Nokia's class-leading mapping service out of the box, without the need for any further downloads.

Using mobile triangulation to compensate for the lack of a built-in GPS chip, it means you can enjoy turn-by-turn directions completely free of charge without having to go near a web connection – a hugely attractive feature on such an affordable handset.

Unlike with rival services such as Google Maps, you can view maps and plan routes offline to your heart's content, tracking and sharing journeys with others when the phone is online. And if you're heading abroad, maps can be loaded up onto your memory card ahead of time in order to spare you expensive roaming charges.

There's no cutting corners on quality or depth of coverage, either. In Singapore, for instance – the venue for this year's Nokia Connections – there is 100% street coverage, with a staggering quarter of a million points of interest included.

If there is a downside, it's that because the very nature of the mapping service is to provide users with a full set of tools out of the box completely free of charge and ready to use, Nokia Maps won't be made available to download for other Series 40 devices already on the market.

But we can certainly look forward to seeing it on future Series 40 handsets, proving yet again that Nokia is simply in a class of its own when it comes to providing real-world innovation for everyone – not just those willing to pay a premium price tag.