Google showed the importance of Maps to the World and ported it to Mobile Devices. Microsoft followed Google and Apple after noticing that its users are using too much of it kicked Google out and started its own mapping mobile application. This is a strong indication that mapping is finally beginning to live up to the promises made over 10 years ago when location began to appear in mobile devices.

The important bit is not the mapping data itself which Tom Tom has shown to be something of a commodity, but what you do on top of it to make a difference to ordinary location and turn by turn directions. The rage now is 3D mapping with the relief of a cityscape fully rendered on the screen and here Microsoft and Nokia, Google, Apple and now Amazon appear to be lining up to entice users to use their systems.

Mapping tends to be quite sticky and with other applications layered on top such as friend locators or public transport routing could be a factor in keeping user loyalty to an ecosystem at a good level. We do not think that this excitement will drive sudden interest in Tom Tom for the TeleAtlas asset nor an increase in the market's view of Nokia.