Loss-making Nokia Tuesday introduced a cloud map service called Here.

It means it to be one of five businesses including smartphones, basic phones, patents and cellular infrastructure that will help it get back on its feet.

Its map customers include Amazon, Rand McNally, Bing, Daimler, Nikon and Yahoo.

Here is supposed to work across multiple devices and operating systems and offer directions and hotel bookings.

Nokia has also just bought Earthmine, a California 3D mapping concern, to drive phone sales. Terms were not disclosed.

Nokia will soon have a free app for Apple, whose own Google-replacing maps have been trashed, and expects to have widgetry that include offline use, voice guidance and public transport information in a couple of weeks if Apple okays it.

Nokia will also open the widgetry to Android developers next year. Nokia is using location features to differentiate its new flagship Windows 8-based Lumia 920 smartphone.

See http://here.net/50.07908,14.4332199,4,0,0,normal.day,