LocatioNet Systems Ltd., provider of mobile mapping and location applications, and DigitalGlobe, provider of the world’s highest resolution imagery and geospatial information products, have entered into a partnership to add DigitalGlobe’s global satellite imagery to the amAze mobile service. 

 

With the collaboration, worldwide voice-guided GPS navigation is enabled over high resolution satellite imagery and aerial photos on mobile phones with either external or internal GPS receiver.

 

DigitalGlobe has joined the amAze collaborative initiative, led by LocatioNet. amAze is a revolutionary navigation, mapping, and local search service supported by several industry leading vendors. It offers services free to mobile users and generates revenue from the emerging mobile advertisement model. 

 

The application provides any regular, Java-enabled mobile phone with navigation and local search information

over maps and DigitalGlobe satellite imagery in Europe and North America. A full voice-guided navigation feature is available for users with any Bluetooth GPS device.

 

“Satellite imagery has proved a great success over the Internet. This is the first time such a rich mapping layer is being used for off-board GPS navigation on mass market phones,” said Ofer Tziperman, president of

LocatioNet. “We are very excited about this collaboration with DigitalGlobe; it is yet another innovative solution offered under the amAze initiative. Since amAze was launched a few weeks ago, we have seen keen adoption by users from all over the globe using it for free. As part of our ongoing service, additional features are being planned to further enrich amAze.”

 

“Our satellite imagery and aerial photos provide a useful dimension to GPS navigation. The fact that amAze is capable of using our imagery archive for navigation on regular phones opens the opportunity for people around the world to experience the benefits of content-rich mapping layer,” said Jill Smith, CEO of DigitalGlobe. “We look forward to supplying LocatioNet with the highest-resolution satellite imagery available.”

 

LocatioNet’s GIS technology enables fast enough streaming of aerial photos from the huge backend databases to the thin client mobile phone over the wireless networks, to allow real-time navigation over the aerial photo.