Garmin's Nuvifone delayed until early 2009

Somehow this doesn't surprise us. According to a statement released ahead of Garmin's Q2 earnings call, the company says it will be delaying the release of its Nuvifone from late 2008 until the first half of 2009. In the press release, the satnav-maker says it has "found that meeting some of the carrier specific requirements will take longer than anticipated," and claims it is "working toward making necessary design changes to meet their requirements." Here's hoping the bump stems from these minor niggles with carriers, versus trouble with the phone itself, which was running only a partially operational OS last time we saw it.

[Via GPS Tracklog]

[SneAKz @ Jul 30th 2008 8:44AM]

Can't say I'm not surprised. With iPhone 3G soaking it up and carriers lack of interest and all.

[Flashpoint @ Jul 30th 2008 9:02AM]

IPhone and iPhone 3G are seriously flawed. I owned them both so I know.

The iphone 3g's battery life is pitiful and in some areas its not capable of GPS because it doesn't have a true GPS antennae - rather, assisted GPS.

The NUVIPHONE could make a serious impact on iphone sales if its interface was just as simple to use and it came with high speed data capability and higher battery life.

CDMA version and an unlocked GSM version would help it easily against iphone.

[DTemp @ Jul 30th 2008 10:02AM]

Flashpoint, you're an idiot. You don't know what A-GPS is.

Of course, I expect Garmin to do what they're good at and make a good GPS-enabled phone... but you're still an idiot.

[ryan @ Jul 30th 2008 9:44AM]

You have no idea what A-GPS is do you? It IS real GPS(with satellites and everything!, you nutter) it just has Wi-Fi and cell triangulation to help speed up location acquisition. THe cell and Wi-FI are fast for finding your general area doing all the heavy lifting for the real GPS which then pinpoints your location. Thus why the typical iPhone can get a feed on your location in around 10 seconds vs 60 with the typical cold start GPS unit.

[Crash Gordon @ Jul 30th 2008 9:52AM]

@Flashpoint

Um.. do me a favor and read up on assisted GPS, especially read up on the actual hardware in the phone.

Last time I checked my iPhone found me faster than my a696 and was just as accurate. and companies like TomTom and TeleNav don't seem to have any complaints.

[fredbblakemore @ Jul 30th 2008 10:27AM]

@Flashpoint:
I've found that the performance downfalls for "cell phone navigation" compared to dedicated portable navigation devices has less to do with the GPS vs. aGPS factor and more to do with the fact that a PND has an embedded map database stored right on the device, while cell phones use an off-board database which causes very slow route calculation/re-calculation, map display times, etc...because all contents need to be downloaded, handled, and finally displayed.

Without looking into the specs, I would assume that Nuvifone will have an embedded map database stored on some local media like MiroSD or internal flash memory. In this case, GPS navigation would perform really well (at least at the level of current Nuvi products.)

iPhone can also perform Navigation tasks this well if it stores some or all of a map database locally, or if the connection speed is extremely good (just don't expect it to guide you anywhere rural where signals suck if that's the case.)

Depending on the implementation, aGPS can be fantastic or utter crap. If it's the type that requires a constant network connection to maintain location accuracy, you might get decent performance in a city, but in rural areas it will suck. If it's the aGPS that can operate without a constant, or even non-existent network connection, you're good to go.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 30th 2008 11:04AM]

Here we go again... If BS could win a prize...

...And when the amazing [insert name] comes out in [insert date] and has [insert dozens of fabulous features] with a battery life of [insert minutes] it will be the finest smartphone ever produced by [insert bankrupt handset company's name] and it will just beat the pants off the [insert Apple iPhone model]. Man, I'm gonna get me one of those since it'll only cost [insert comically low price].

The Nuvifone, GPhone and ZunePhone will go down into the annals of history as the finest and most talked about nonexistent handsets never to be produced.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Jul 30th 2008 11:12AM]

Actually, I suspect Garmin is learning just how convoluted the wireless industry is. The regulations, carrier relationships, testing requirements, and on and on and on are nothing like stamping out some GPS units and putting them on shelves.

I love my Nuvi 350 and welcome the Nuvifone. Would be sweet to just clip into my Nuvi mount in my car, have bluetooth calling, charging, and GPS all in one. I doubt it'll be good enough to replace my phone, but it would be awesome if it was.

[DonatoM3 @ Jul 30th 2008 12:19PM]

@SteffenJobs

Except the ZunePhone was never announced by Microsoft. Microsoft has said many times they're sticking to their current model which is supply the OS and let their partners make the hardware.

[Flashpoint @ Jul 30th 2008 2:21PM]

Fred


thank you for not being an asshole like the other posters and replying intelligently to my post.

[Jimmy Jones @ Jul 30th 2008 8:47AM]

Until they drop the price on this thing....they can keep their Nuvi....idea I'd rather spend that much on another phone from SE, Nokia or HTC....

[kjb434 @ Jul 30th 2008 9:16AM]

I agrees. Too many phones are offering excellent GPS alternatives. My ATT tilt even has a port on the back that i can attached a much more powerful antennae. I'm considering hardwiring an antennae in my car so i just connect my phone to it. Then have a dock setup to hold the phone just like a GPS device.

The bluetooth would allow it to be used for phone calls and i can have my power cord attached to handle the demanding power consumption.

[Tony @ Jul 30th 2008 2:02PM]

"Too many phones are offering excellent GPS alternatives."

Is there really a such thing as too many phones?
You sir, disgust me.

[GoVegan @ Jul 30th 2008 8:48AM]

Does anyone even care about this phone or any of their products?
I don't.

[fred @ Jul 30th 2008 9:16AM]

So we cant?

Sorry if out pesky desire to hear about different companies products just doesn't jive with you.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 30th 2008 11:15AM]

Does anyone care about the Nuvifone? My avatar wants one of those so badly. He's been jumping up and down hurling dung and twigs ever since he heard the Nuvifone is being delayed. He says that he needs it's wonderful GPS just to find his way back to the house when he goes into the backyard to take a crap.

He said he doesn't even care that it's OS isn't finished since he never uses all the Menu selections due to his diminished lower primate I.Q. Fortunately I gave him a few yummy bananas and some raisins and it was like he forgot all about the Nuvifone. I guess chimps' and potential Nuvifone users' memories aren't quite up to human standards.

[DT @ Jul 30th 2008 8:50AM]

"Kim Arnold"? Any chance that's some sort of shout-out to MacRumors founder Arnold Kim?

[roole @ Jul 30th 2008 11:43AM]

Methinks it was Freudian slip. Very nice catch!

[yode @ Jul 30th 2008 12:57PM]

MILF!

[thedesolate1 @ Jul 30th 2008 8:51AM]

I hope it doesn't disappoint . In other words that the carriers don't end up crippling the device.

[Johan S @ Jul 30th 2008 8:52AM]

I hope they use the extra time wisely. Maybe improve the web browser .. thats always a never ending task.

[Frank Furter @ Jul 30th 2008 8:53AM]

They were late to the party already, so they decided to camp out a bit longer to perfect their iClone skills.

[fred @ Jul 30th 2008 10:00AM]

Was there some sort of time requirement to make a touch screen phone where if you didn't, you were to be officially ignored?

[AJC @ Jul 30th 2008 11:40AM]

@ fred


Yes. And they missed it.

[gerbick @ Jul 30th 2008 9:35AM]

Ha. I knew I'd see a bunch of iPhone remarks...

Seriously, this phone needs to come out subsidized, not at that full price. That hurt pockets and forced decisions, perhaps they'll get the price down in 2009 - which is only 4 months away basically anyway.

[geognerd @ Jul 30th 2008 9:42AM]

That price will have to come down. When the nuvifone was first announced, it was a somewhat novel device and therefore could command a premium price. By the time it comes out next year, it'll be old hat. Even for $200 with subsidy, it will be a hard sell.

[NHAnimator @ Jul 30th 2008 9:43AM]

2009?

Well, Kim Arnold's gonna get pretty pissed that it just rings and rings on her end.

[dhowse @ Jul 30th 2008 9:47AM]

You think, after the release of the iPhone 3G, they may be reexamining their options? Maybe they can convince Verison to carry it. They're becoming the home of the iPhone clones.

This comment was submitted on my iPhone using the free Newsgator app I downloaded yesterday.

[ma5t3rw1tt @ Jul 30th 2008 10:28AM]

With all the new phones these days, I am not surprised with this at all.

I all the new phones coming out have a focus on touchscreen, GPS, 3G support and other things. I think everyone is wanting the "Perfect Phone" and are doing everything in their power to do such a thing.

But I think this phone is going to be a big competition to the iPhone 3G and Samsung Instinct.

[bcrider @ Jul 30th 2008 11:04AM]

Why cant other phone makers come up with a UI and icons of their own and stop copying the iphone? Annoying uncreative copycats they are!

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 30th 2008 11:26AM]

Copying is what you call extremely efficient R&D. Never reinvent the wheel. If something works perfectly and sells like crazy, duplicate it down to the atomic level and then claim it was your idea in the first place.

If handset companies were to use their own UI, can you imagine what sort of an abomination it would look like. It would be some sort of a Bizarro world UI that only an autistic child could appreciate. It would look and behave something like WinMo 6.1, only slightly more attractive.

[Rick White @ Jul 30th 2008 11:46AM]

Yup. Research the market opposition and Develop their technology into your own product. The basis of product penetration. Heh, I just said penetration.

[Gingerbread Man @ Jul 30th 2008 12:04PM]

Awesome...he said penetration.

[phanbouy @ Jul 30th 2008 12:09PM]

hey, however one might live vicariously

[FotoGenetix @ Jul 30th 2008 12:04PM]

and the douche of this article goes to......

FLASHPOINT once again.

Garmin would have a good chance, but this delay is seriously gonna hurt this phone considering the changes with iPhone software from now till its release.

[Earl @ Jul 30th 2008 12:38PM]

Isn't it pointless to make a wanna be iPhone a year after the 3G is released? Anyone that wants an iPhone will get it long before this product comes out

[Bill @ Jul 30th 2008 1:31PM]

"carrier-specific requirements", eh? Wanna bet they have to figure out how to remotely disable and enable features that are already built in to the phone?

[Pete @ Jul 30th 2008 8:33PM]

not as easy as it looks... wasn't the iphone in development for more than 3 yrs?

[Brian @ Jul 31st 2008 10:17AM]

Major bummer that this isn't going to be released before the holiday buying frenzy.

[paolo @ Aug 31st 2008 1:15AM]

WTF !!! I am unimpresseb by both th iPhooney 3G (expensive gag toy) as well as these other integrated toys.
I have been using the Nuvi 360 since it came out, hooked via Bluetooth to my old Nokia, my work N70, my personal Mototrola KRZR etc etc.
I really have no use of "integrated" much except maybe for web browsing emails.
By the way, I use my Nuvi as "vivavoce" handsfree speaker while driving, after the second 200 Euro fine and some drivers license points lost I always leave it on....

have a nuvi days from Milan, Italy.