Navteq announced that it has signed an agreement to supply Navteq map data and content to Samsung Electronics.

Samsung Electronics will have access to all 76 countries in the Navteq map database. The agreement also allows Samsung Electronics the rights to utilize Navteq content including Visual Content, Speed Limits, Extended Lanes and Navteq Discover Cities.

"The integration of location data into handsets, including traffic, is also rapidly advancing and is in fact already a reality," said Joe Fox, spokesman for Navteq. "You can find turn by turn navigation offerings that include traffic, and products like Navteq Discover Cities bring together map and location data for an enriched pedestrian experience on a handset."

This comprehensive portfolio is designed to enhance navigation device functionality.

The visual content is meant to enable a better end-user sense of orientation when interacting with the device through a 3D display of prominent landmarks and 3D city models.

The Speed Limits feature facilitated improved arrival times, information about maximum road speed, and warnings to users of potential speed violations.

Samsung Electronics will launch the Samsung I8910 HD with Navteq Map and content in Europe in May.
The GPS-enabled Samsung I8910 HD will offer drivers an enriched navigation experience through enhanced visual content such as 3D landmarks and 3D city models.

It also offers advanced navigation with speed limits and extended lanes.

The LBS industry is experiencing growth in the mobile arena, driven by a number of factors:

? Growth in the Smartphone market (due to the reduction in the cost of GPS chips)
? Growing awareness and interest among consumer in location-based services
? Desire among carriers to differentiate themselves in the marketplace

"Navteq is the global leader in digital maps, a fact we believe is driven by the quality of our product," Mr. Fox said. "Our data collection, sources and product adheres to a single global specification.

"Quality testing and data verification and validation is built into every step of our map build process" he said. "And the balance of our proprietary technology with the local field teams who own their piece of the map to deliver data consistent with real world conditions helps us provide the highest quality map data."