I'm allowed to stand behind BOTH of those statements. I studied journalism and biomedical engineering, but I took a few business classes, and this is basic business rules. As long as there's one provider of any service, there is the chance that prices can rise AND competition will decrease. In the end, you'll have little innovation or push for improvement can stall for years.

Right now, the only real navi guys out there are Ovi, Google, and that's it. So Google will literally control US navigation unless Nokia can somehow get itself into the market. So we're already without much choice. See the implications? I don't like any map service that doesn't use Navteq maps, so I'd be SOL in the States.

Let's hope a competitor steps forward with similar pricing, or pretty soon, we'll all be having our lives siphoned by Google via mapping software without an offline component. I don't like using navigation software while connected to the web, only offline, to keep my privacy. Google wants the opposite.

This has nothing to do with Google, and everything to do with competition and innovation. I like Google's app, just not how it kills competitors. Its half their fault for not figuring how to leverage their products, but having one in control is bad news, whether its Nokia, Google, Apple, or anyone else.

That's not the point. The point is just like WalMart killed grocery in the South. We used to have Winn Dixie, Minyard's, Jewel T, Albertson's, and many other competitors in the DFW area, and now its just WalMart, Kroger, or Tom Thumb, unless you can afford Whole Foods and Central Market. There are less choices, bad produce quality at WalMart, meat prices and quality are nothing like Winn Dixie, etc. You never know what you miss until its gone. I see offline mapping as a thing of the past in the US without Nokia involved. Maybe this will get carriers into the licensing game with Ovi, but I'd still like to see a TeleAtlas branded app step forward, or Navteq will stop spending on improving map quality, and so on...

That market isn't going to continue to grow, as navigation is becoming a smartphone thing, and automakers aren't going to be able to keep selling $600 Navi packages when we already have them in our pockets. Mobiles are a big threat to ICE companies. There's alot of data on that issue all over the place if you're willing to pay for the research papers. Automakers are trying to figure how to use the mobile data connection and device better to cover the losses, hence media player ports, WiFi and USB connections, etc.

Also, Google has long been a customer of TeleAtlas map data, and now they're using the GPS data of its customers to create its own maps and traffic data. So how does Tom Tom, owner of TeleAtlas, make money now? By selling out, and it'll be cheap. So we'll probably see TeleAtlas sold again, too. Let's hope Google scoops it up, or maybe Garmin.

You make it sound as if I'm blaming Google for this mess. Its not all of their fault. Tom Tom had a bad business plan, and Garmin was too late to the party and owns no map data of its own. I just don't want any company running the market period. I enjoy my privacy, and Google isn't big on respecting it. Nokia is, but that's not the point. I want choices, and Ovi or Google may not be enough, especially if tied to specific OSes.

That's your opinion. Some feel that way, but this is more of a consumer protection stance for me. I don't use Google much except for search, but I see how they've taken over that, and can imagine if no other search engine existed. I don't agree with Google's privacy policies, either, and if you do, that's fine. This is an open source community, and certain philosophies will be prevalent. Don't hate, just realize some of the members here have experience with companies and organizations that have had Google-like philosophies, and they've negatively affected freedom of choices and options in the long run. You're free to like them, as do I, for the most part. But there's been some good points made, and you should research the root of these stances, not lash out at those that already have. For them, this is bad news. For you, it may be good. That's totally ok either way.

Its not silly. That you don't agree isn't either. We're all free thinkers. Just respect everyone's opinions.

Only if you place most importance in navigation. Not everyone uses it as much as you'd like to believe, and Nokia could easily match them in pricing and features over time. Their Navteq division is lucrative, and their map data is best in class. I hope they DON'T continue to charge for navigation, but I also hope someone can use TeleAtlas maps for an alternative. The fact they aren't charging for it isn't the issue. That less navigation options exist next year is. Cause is of no matter. The end result is bad for US.