Amazon.com is reportedly buying UpNext, a five-year-old New York City startup that specializes in what they describe as “vibrant, immersive maps that better reflect the world we live in.” GigaOm has the scoop on the news, saying that it may signal a move by Amazon to add native mapping functionality to its Kindle Fire tablet and possibly its own smartphone.

UpNext, whose mobile app is available for the Kindle Fire, Android and iOS, raised $500,000 in funding last year from angel investors Chris Sacca, David Cohen and others. In addition to detailed city maps, UpNext also offers 3D maps of venues.

For example, it developed an Android and iPhone app for the 2012 Super Bowl in Indianapolis with a detailed map of the stadium and nearby attractions.

You can get a closer look at the UpNext maps in this video.


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