Nokia in kicking off the Lumia Windows Phone mix also brought out its first Windows Phone services, including a few that give it an edge over other WP7 phones and the iPhone. Nokia Drive gives owners a full, turn-by-turn GPS navigation app with voice directions and free maps in a car-ready interface. The launch not only makes it the only Windows Phone with turn-by-turn built-in but now puts it roughly on par with Android’s Google Maps Navigation, which has usually been the only other option for built-in car mapping.
Also coming is Nokia Music, the phone giant’s own media player app. It includes MixRadio, which delivers global streaming of hundreds of channels of locally relevant music. An update later this year will let listeners customize their channels.
Also integrated into Nokia Music is Gigfinder. The new service allows users to search for live gigs and share their discoveries on social networks. The late 2011 update to the service will also allow users to purchase tickets directly from the Lumia phones themselves.
An ESPN Sports Hub helps cater to the eventual American users and some sports-minded fans elsewhere. Along with tracking news and scores, it takes advantage of Windows Phone’s live tiles to let users pin individual teams or whole sports leagues to the home screen to get news without dipping into the hub app.
At least Drive and Music should be coming with the Lumia phones when they reach their first owners in November.
