Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Nokia Ups the Map App War and Partners with Groupon

by Holly Shoemaker

New map app features, or new partnerships to promote apps, have garnered much attention over the months. Now, Nokia has announced that it will promote Groupon deals on phones that run Nokia Maps. As part of the update, Nokia also introduced an “advanced route setting” that allows users to get and save directions to their screens. Nokia Maps is compatible on the Lumia 610, 710, 800 and 900.

Nokia's s Focus on Updating Maps

Nokia has focused much energy on its map feature. The company released an update to its map feature in March. In June, the company once again updated the feature to sync with favorites so users could view photos and reviews.

By continually updating the map app, and by partnering with a well-known company, Nokia has shown it understands the need to capitalize on the news garnered by Google and Apple with their maps. 

Targeting Late-Adoption Smartphone Users

The challenge for Nokia is that the company remains more popular among those who do not use a smartphone. The latest announcement shows the company understands the need to target later-adoption smartphone users. While it may seem like a slight reversal from its beta test campaign ads, it appears the company may be shifting away from those ads. That could work for Nokia because it gets the company closer to public opinion. People who do not own a smartphone have a more favorable view of Nokia, and consumers who have yet to purchase a smartphone may still use Groupon. Those looking for an alternative map device and shopping for deals on Groupon may find that a Windows Phone brings together two complementary parts.

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