Nokia does GPS licensing love-in with Trimble

By Dawn Kawamoto, Silicon.com

Nokia announced on Monday an exclusive licensing agreement with GPS technology developer Trimble, in a move to add navigation and location features to Nokia mobile phones.

Under the arrangement, Nokia will be able to incorporate Trimble's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in its wireless consumer products and services. Nokia will also receive sublicensing rights for Trimble's GNSS technology.

Global positioning technology is becoming more pervasive as it finds its way into automobile dashboards and handheld devices. Trimble's navigation technology is designed to aid users by pointing them in the right direction when travelling down city streets, hiking in the wilderness or flying a private plane.

Kai Oistamo, general manager of Nokia's mobile phones, said in a statement: "We strongly believe that location-based capabilities and services will be an important element of future mobile communications devices."

Services such as local search allow a subscriber to find information on nearby restaurants, entertainment or grocery stores based on his or her physical location.

Trimble, through the agreement, will receive a nonexclusive licence to access Nokia's location-based patents and use them in its own products and services.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Back in September, Nokia shelled out to buy software mapping company gate5.

Dawn Kawamoto writes for CNET News.com