Navteq CEO: Future of Mapping is Cell Phones

Navteq CEO Judson Green says he has seen the future of mapping and that future is on the cell phone. In a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, Mr. Green said that the firm's merger with Nokia will enable it to enlist cell phone users to supplement Navteq's 1,000 mapping analysts:

Digital map-maker Navteq is preparing for a significant leap from portable GPS devices and automobile navigation systems to the cell phone, and it is joining with the world's largest handset manufacturer, Nokia Corp., to do it.

Navteq Chief Executive Judson Green sees the mobile phone as the key to expanding both Navteq's geographic reach and the breadth of information it can provide.

"We're excited about tapping into the Nokia community of consumers—of which there are close to a billion around the world—who can give us input as to what they find when they're traveling," Green told the Tribune in an interview. "We love the idea of having that consumer input funneled back to us because it allows us to make the map more accurate, to keep it fresh and to make it more interesting."

---

"We're just beginning to see the wave of growth that will occupy the next several years," he said. "Ultimately, you will find maps on every phone and you'll find location-based content on every phone. … If our heritage was in the automotive sector and you think about a consumer behind the wheel, our future is with mobile consumers, or pedestrians."

Mr. Green told the Tribune that he wants Navteq get into dynamic content such as data on gas prices and parking. The firm will also be looking at subscription-based services as well as location based services that can be subsidized by advertising.