Google has confirmed that the technology giant's much popular Google Maps Navigation Beta is now available as a free download for all mobile handsets running on the Android platform version 1.6 and higher. Users with T-Mobile G1 and myTouch 3G, are among those who can make the most of the new offering.

Google Maps Navigation, which currently dominates the turn-by-turn navigation devices' market, merges GPS functionality with already existent Google Maps functions including, but not limited to, street view, satellite view and searching for a business by name, in addition to voice prompts.

When launched last month, the new application seemed to be a Motorola Droid exclusive, which runs on the Android 2.0, but now Google has decided to share it with all users of version 1.6 and higher, who can download it for free from Android Market.

Although the new development have left users of Android devices which run on 1.5 version, including HTC Hero, Samsung Behold I and Motorola CLIQ, somewhat disappointed, speculations are that Google is planning to reach out to them as well. No confirmations about the same have been made yet.