MOUNTAIN VIEW, USA - Internet giant Google is widely believed to be working on a dedicated navigation client to compliment its popular service Google Maps on mobile platforms. While Google Maps provides limited navigation services to netizens, the service lacks the dedicated turn-by-turn navigation aids that some of the popular services like TomTom and Garmin are known for.

Google has a distinct advantage in this segment having invested heavily on its Google Maps for procuring high-resolution satellite  images and its fleet of camera-equipped vehicles covering the breadth and span of several cities of interest. A dedicated navigation client is only a matter of incorporating all this data into a dedicated service providing turn-by-turn navigation features.

The internet giant is known for crushing the competition by offering free services to the consumer erstwhile relying on revenue generated from advertisements. The navigation service as and when it is launched, is largely expected to follow on the same lines and will be much more prominent, since the location-based service can be used for highlighting the advertisements specific to the location of the user. This may deal a death blow to several augmented reality-based applications that are getting increased attention in some of the popular mobile platforms of iPhone and Android.

Another factor indicating towards the possibility of navigation client from Google is its stake in the Open Handset Alliance and Android community. With an entire mobile platform being promoted by Google, pushing in applications/services developed the developer is an easy task as the infrastructure is in place for synchronising the service with other mobile services. While there has been no official confirmation of the service from Google, its investments in Google Maps and Android make it logical to foray into fully-fledged navigation services in the near future. With a strong foothold in search market and its investment in satellite imagery for its maps service, the navigation service can be expected to be a market success as and when its implemented.