Nokia Windows Phone could use special maps

A pre-release T-Mobile Germany promo banner for Nokia's Windows Phone hardware uncovered Friday could point to Nokia having a special turn-by-turn GPS app. Called Nokia Drive, it would be an adaptation of Nokia Maps with 3D buildings and voice-command navigation, WinRumors saw. Windows Phone 7.5 has better GPS mapping than before, but 3D and direct voice navigation aren't part of Microsoft's official feature set.

Microsoft has made clear that Nokia will have special permissions to modify Windows Phone beyond what another company like HTC or Samsung might. As such, it's possible, if not likely that Nokia will replace or supplement Bing Maps with its own code. Nokia's map system is known to be helping Bing as part of the deal.

T-Mobile will contribute to the phone through its own Media Center app and the app highlights portal slipped out earlier.

Little is mentioned of the hardware, but it may have helped confirm the existence of Nokia's Sabre phone. The 3.7-inch, curved AMOLED screen is consistent both with the rumored screen size and Nokia's recent taste for curved displays through the N9.

The Sabre, and possibly the 3.9-inch Sea Ray, should be unveiled at Nokia World in late October and may ship soon afterwards.

By Electronista Staff