Nokia adds assisted GPS to N95, more handsets
updated 01:05 pm EDT, Thu July 19, 2007
Nokia Assisted GPS
Nokia today announced that its Nokia Maps service could now use assisted GPS, providing owners of the right handsets with a much quicker way of tracking their position. As hinted in a software leak, Nokia devices with built-in GPS receivers will now be able to use their Internet access to check their position against online information and help the GPS chipset acquire its first position fix sooner. The technique improves lock-on times by about 25 percent and also helps in situations when 2.5G or 3G access is strong but GPS is weak, according to informal tests. Local carriers will also be able to replace Nokia's servers with their own for more accurate regional mapping.
Support for the feature begins today with the N95 as well as the 6110 Navigator through a patch. All future phones with GPS units will also include the option, which is free to use beyond normal charges for Internet access from the user's cellphone provider.
