Nokia announced a revamp of its services business unit, with the integration of its Navteq mapping business and its social location unit, to create a new Location & Commerce division. In a statement, the company said that while continuing to serve its existing customers, the new group “will provide exciting new opportunities through the integration of Nokia community data.” In addition to offering a “broad portfolio of products and services for the wider internet ecosystem,” it will also develop “integrated social location offerings in support of Nokia’s strategic goal in smartphones, including Nokia products with Windows Phones, as well as support for bringing the internet to the next billion.” Location & Commerce will be headed by existing Nokia exec Michael Halbherr, who will become a member of the Nokia leadership team, reporting to CEO Stephen Elop. Larry Kaplan, who has served as CEO of Navteq, will support the “transition work” during the creation of the new unit, “through year-end.” Tero Ojanpera, who was acting head of the Services business, will continue as executive sponsor of the company’s Bridge programme, which is “designed to promote innovation and entrepreneurship with employees affected by Nokia’s workforce alignment initiatives.”

Separately, Nokia said it had finalised an agreement to outsource its Symbian development and support activities to Accenture, with around 2,800 staff set to transfer once the deal is completed – expected to take place in the early part of October 2011. While the Symbian OS platform is end-of-life as far as Nokia is concerned, Accenture said it will “seek to retrain and redeploy transferred employees.” The consulting firm also said that it will provide services to Nokia via its Avande arm, which “focuses on Microsoft technologies.” According to Dow Jones Newswires, Nokia has completed job cut negotiations at some of its divisions in Finland, including in its Symbian, Meego and Mobile Devices units. All of the workers involved will stay on Nokia’s books until the end of 2011, with the reductions taking place during 2012.