Nokia and bit-side GmbH today announced that an agreement has been signed for Nokia to acquire substantially all assets of bit-side. Bit-side is a privately owned Berlin-based professional services and software company with 39 employees. By acquiring bit-side Nokia will strengthen and accelerate its mobile development for Nokia Maps.

“Acquiring bit-side enables Nokia to offer consumers the world-leading mobile location applications, such as Maps, along with routing and navigation at an accelerated speed” said Michael Halbherr, vice president and head of social location, Nokia. “Nokia has been working with bit-side since 2007, and bit-side has become a strategic development partner to Nokia.”