Nokia Ovi Maps Android/WinMo port rumor seems entirely unlikely [Update: yep, false]

Stand by for some confusion this Thursday morning, as a Nokia exec apparently confirms that Ovi Maps will be ported to Android or Windows Mobile.  The company launched the latest version of Ovi Maps – with free turn-by-turn navigation and other hitherto premium functionality – back in January, but Nokia's general manager for the Alps and South East Europe, Greig Williams, told Austrian paper Die Presse that porting the app "will be the next step."Update: Apparently Williams was misquoted; more details after the cut.

Now, we're working from a Google-translated quote here – Williams actually said "Das wird der nächste Schritt sein" – and there's certainly a possibility that something has been lost in the process.  Our skepticism stems from the Ovi launch itself; Nokia made it very clear at the time that they viewed Ovi Maps and the accompanying service to be a true differentiator between their devices and those of rivals, and so to publicly suggest that such a differentiator might be diluted seems entirely off-script.

Of course, there's now speculation that Nokia are planning an Android and/or a Windows Mobile device, neither of which seems likely what with their regular and vocal commitments to S60 and the new MeeGo platform.  We've got a request in with Nokia's PR team for more clarification, and will update as soon as we know more.

Update: Nokia's UK social media team have got back to us, and as expected the rumors are unfounded.  They've spoken to Greig Williams and he absolutely did not make any such statement suggesting an Android/Windows Mobile port was on the cards.  Die Presse are apparently taking down the contentious quote.  Excitement over!Nokia Ovi Maps demo:

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[via Electricpig]