Amazon.com, Inc.(NASDAQ:AMZN) Ditches Google Maps for Nokia (NOK)

Following Apple, Amazon.com, Inc.(NASDAQ:AMZN) is also ditching Google Inc(NASDAQ:GOOG) Maps and plans to use Nokia Corporation (ADR)(NYSE:NOK) mapping features for its next Kindle Fire, Dow Jones’ Market Watch said, citing sources.

The Internet retailer’s new generation Kindle is expected to be launched on September 6 when it is holding a press conference in California.

Google has dominated the smartphone navigation on mobile devices until now. Its Google Maps software runs on its own Android operating system for mobile phones, as well as on the current version of Apple Inc.'s  iOS.

However in June, Apple stopped using Google maps on its devices, saying that it has tied up with TomTom for its mapping functionalities in its new generation iPhones and iPads.

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Nokia has one of the most robust and widely-used digital mapping platforms after it acquired Navteq about four years ago. Navteq provides the underlying digital mapping information that is used by GPS navigation devices and Internet services.

Companies such as Garmin that make portable GPS devices as well as Web-based map applications, including those of Yahoo and Microsoft’s Bing Maps, use Navteq's platform today.

Nokia recently launched a number of upgrades to its mapping applications, which include Nokia Drive and Nokia Maps. In November last year, Nokia also launched a public transport application for its smartphones that provides public transport information for many cities around the world.

Dutch navigation system maker TomTom NV provides maps for Google, but the deal, forged four years ago, runs out in less than a year's time as the search giant is building up its own map base.