Nokia Plans to Ship 35 Million GPS-Enabled Handsets in 2008

Michael Halbherr, Nokia's head of Location-based Services, recently stated that the company is planning to ship 35 million GPS enabled handsets in 2008, quickly becoming a major player in the GPS industry.

Nokia currently offers 5 smartphones that feature a built-in GPS receiver, including the wildly popular Nokia N95. Currently Nokia Maps, the company's GPS navigation software, is only available for its S60 powered smartphones. However, a version for its non-smartphones is planned to be available later this year on devices such as the recently announced 6600 Slide.

Halbherr also says that by 2010-2012, up to half of Nokia's handsets will feature a built-in GPS receiver. For a company who is experiencing major growth with low priced handsets in developing markets, that's an interesting statement.