Mark Bridge writes:

There’s been a bit of a location-based theme in the mobile industry this week.

Hardly surprising, with a new report from Pyramid Research saying location-based advertising is becoming increasingly popular – and NAVTEQ revealing that most consumers are happy receiving promotional offers in exchange for free location-related content.

Elsewhere, Nokia has rearranged its location-y bits into a new Location and Commerce business unit that looks as though it’ll swallow the NAVTEQ subsidiary. Location-sharing app Glympse has passed the one million user mark while picking up $7.5 million in new funding. And navigation company TomTom is putting its local search service on smartphones from this summer.

Let’s talk products now. Sony Ericsson has released a couple of new Android smartphones, including a sporty thing. Nokia has announced the long-awaited MeeGo-based N9, although UK availability is unconfirmed. Huawei has a new 7-inch Android tablet in the wings. And Archos is developing an Android DECT cordless phone. Whatever next, apps on a fridge?

Ah yes, apps. Here in the UK, Google Maps, Yahoo Weather and Facebook are our favourites. That’s what the latest GSMA Mobile Media Metrics report says. Meanwhile, Flurry has published figures that suggest people are now spending more time using mobile apps than they are on the 'real' web. (Not everyone is convinced).

Finally, it’s network time. Ofcom has introduced new regulations that'll let mobile phone operators trade the rights to the radio spectrum they hold. At first glance you might wonder why anyone would want to sell their precious spectrum – but Everything Everywhere has a legal obligation to get shot of some following its merger of Orange and T-Mobile.

Next question: who’s buying?  And for how much?

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