Nokia has announced plans to release a new version of Ovi Maps for its smartphones that includes free walk and drive navigation worldwide.

For mobile developers and publishers, these changes for Ovi Maps represent a significant opportunity. The worldwide customer base for additional location-based applications and services will expand dramatically.

Developers will be able to create applications with cutting-edge navigation features built into their applications without incurring additional costs. Also, developers and publishers using the new navigation features can:

• Experience the power of a new mobile platform that makes global navigation an integral part of the offer
• Delight consumers worldwide with compelling, contextually relevant solutions
• Bring new, location-based innovations to mobile devices as a result of global navigation becoming a standard feature on the mobile platform

The new version of Ovi Maps includes both car and pedestrian navigation features, such as turn-by-turn voice guidance for 74 countries in 46 languages and traffic information for over 10 countries. It also includes maps for more than 180 countries, as well as free access to Lonely Planet and Michelin travel guides.