MobileMonday Global

^{Location based applications grow in importance} Nokia completes acquisition of gate5

Nokia Thursday announced that it has completed its acquisition of gate5 AG, a leading supplier of mapping, routing and navigation software and services.

The acquisition of gate5 is an important step in developing the new product category of multimedia computers that offer people multiple ways to connect to information, entertainment and other people, Nokia says.

In the end of September, Nokia introduced the Nokia N95 multimedia computer with integrated GPS and navigation functionality. The Nokia N95 maps and navigation application is based on the gate5 software platform.

“We see that location based experiences, such as search, mapping and navigation will be a fundamental platform for many applications in Nokia Nseries devices going forward,” said Anssi Vanjoki, the head of Nokia Multimedia.

“Nokia’s strategy in this space is to offer world-leading location based experiences as an integrated offering to our customers. I’m excited to see the new team to bring exciting and easy-to-use location based applications into the upcoming Nokia Nseries multimedia computers and into many other Nokia products”.

With the completion of this acquisition, gate5 now enhances the Multimedia Business Group’s organization as a center of competency for location based experiences in Berlin, Germany. The gate5 team continues to be dedicated to delivering world-class solutions to third party customers in the PND (Personal Navigation Device) and mobile devices space. It will maintain its multi-platform strategy for mobile devices, including the support of Symbian, Linux, Windows Mobile, and Palm platforms.

Together with the closing of the transaction, Nokia also announced that with immediate effect it has established a sales unit for its Location Based Software and Services in Hong Kong, targeting its PND customers in the Asia-Pacific region.

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