Nokia N95 GPS phone

If Nokia has its way, no one will be able to dodge the question, "Where are you calling from?" Cell phones took a step toward becoming self-contained personal navigation devices last week, as the No. 1 mobile phone maker said it will integrate global positioning system technology and location-based services into its handsets.

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Nokia announced the N95, a mobile device that comes with integrated GPS technology and preinstalled gate5 software. The N95 is slated to start shipping in the first quarter of 2007. Its mapping application resides on the phone rather than being wirelessly linked to the device from a faraway server. It lets users search through maps of more than 100 countries.

Nokia plans to launch more devices with GPS capability, as well as services such as local search, which will let users find relevant information based on their location. Nokia's strategy of preinstalling mobile location-based services in phones is designed to give the company a tighter relationship with users, who will be freed from reliance on carriers for such services. "It's a very public statement that Nokia is moving away from total dependence on [telecom carriers] as a channel to market," Gartner analyst Nick Jones says.

The No. 2 mobile phone maker, Motorola, also sells models with integrated GPS. Samsung sells phones with GPS capability, but its customers have to subscribe to a service such as Verizon Wireless' VZ Navigator if they want to get location information through their handsets.

Nokia Wants Your Cell Phone To Tell You Where You Are - InformationWeek, Oct 9, 2006

I think that it's inevitable that cellphones will absorb more and more technology functions.  If it weren't for the anomaly of the iPod, the cellphone would probably already be the main portable music device.

UPDATE 2007-02-26: For some comparison info, see my posting

February 04, 2007  comparing iPhone, Sony K790, Nokia N95

UPDATE 2007-05-17: There is more info from InformationWeek

Nokia One-Ups Apple With $750 Smartphone - April 14, 2007

Nokia's N95: 2.5G, Not 3G - April 18, 2007

UPDATE 2007-04-14: The N95 is starting to become available in the United States, you can buy an unlocked one from Amazon.com

UPDATE 2007-05-08: Amazon now provides cellphones and plans in the United States, the offerings will depend on your location