A free mapping, search and navigation application for mobile phones has been launched this week by LocatioNet Systems.

The company is claiming a first for the free service – Amaze – which looks like a hybrid between the popular TomTom GPS system and Google Maps.

According to the company, Amaze provides any regular, Java-enabled mobile phone with mapping, navigation and local search information to anywhere in central and western Europe as well as north America. An additional voice-guided navigation feature is available using any bluetooth GPS device.

The application is being launched as a collaborative effort between LocatioNet, yellow pages and others.

Both the application and service is free to consumers and supported by advertisements and sponsorship which are integrated into the interface.

Future versions of amAze will feature high quality aerial photos, satellite imagery and topographical maps on a wide coverage as well as weather conditions, the company said. Additional regions will also be added to the mapping information.

LocatioNet says future versions of the application will include “high quality aerial photos, satellite imagery and topographical maps on a wide coverage as well as weather conditions”.