Amazon to use Nokia for its Map Services

The largest retailer in the world on Internet, Amazon.com has announced its Kindle Fire now is 20% of the sales for tablets in the U.S. The internet retailer said it was joining forces with Finland’s Nokia for its mapping services that will be on the next generation Kindle Fire. The new device will be released next week and will contain location capabilities. Those capabilities require either a WiFi triangulation or a GPS chip.

One of the most popular features of most tablets is the mapping services. The features typically have traffic status, street maps and a myriad of information about businesses in the area. The maps are also able to support apps from third parties as well navigation instructions that both need for location information to be able to operate properly.

A smartphone or tablet’s location is marked by the location capabilities. Google’s Nexus 7 competes directly with the Kindle Fire and has GPS capabilities because of a built in receiver that supports location and mapping functions.

Amazon introduced its first Kindle Fire in 2011 with a retail price of $199. That prices is about half of the price of an entry level iPad from Apple. Due to its price, it quickly gained consumer acceptance.

The device, with its 7-inch display has enabled the internet retailer to increase its sales of other products such as ebooks and music, helping the company’s bottom line even more. Next week, the retailer may unveil a Kindle Fire that has a larger display, said analysts. The new larger Kindle Fire could be direct competition to the standard iPad.