Man, talk about awful timing. At least
TomTom and
Navigon were able to sell a few rounds of their pricey iPhone GPS application before Google went and
ruined everyone's day (at least in the GPS biz), and now that
Google Maps Navigation is but an approval away from hitting iPhone users for free, we've got serious doubts about Telmap's ability to market its newest product. Utilizing NAVTEQ maps and familiar shells like MapQuest Navigation (in the US) and Orange Maps (in France), the company seems quite proud of its newest routing solutions. Oh sure -- there's live traffic, turn-by-turn guidance, in-car and pedestrian modes, etc., but is anyone really doling out cash for a phone-based routing system right now with Google at the wheel? Exactly.
posted Oct 30th 2009 9:47AM
"...is anyone really doling out cash for a phone-based routing system right now with Google at the wheel?"
Well that's a silly question. Of course there is, people that aren't going to be getting Droids perhaps. But.. I'm proabably getting one, so.. wee.
but ...... it will not only be for droid, it will come out for all devices
I won't be getting the google thing, as it relies on the data connection, many of the places I travel have less than fantastic data coverage. I'd quite happily stump up for something that includes the maps on the device.
True, but the article refers to "right now", not "in the near future".
Also, while relying on a permanent data connection for navigation is probably not a big issue for people travelling through their own large countries, try driving across Europe with Google Navigation. Pwnd by roaming charges...
Uh, try driving through Europe with North American maps, pwned by segmented map fees.
Interesting thing about the Google Navigation application is that it says it will download the maps for your entire route before you leave, so it might not be so reliant on wireless data for the whole trip.
So.. just put every roads on earth as your way points. There you go, entire earth cached in your phone for free.
@Aaron: Well, I'm not sure how other map/navigation applications work, but in Ovi Maps, you can pretty much preload all the map data for countries around the world for free. The only limit is storage space available on your phone.
Its not a silly question. Google is going to be releasing their iphone app for free so its not just the droids...... The google app with most likely be better than the other paid apps so its kind of a no brainier...... Tom Tom and the other nav apps need to have exclusive features to compete. Maybe a great alternative route/traffic coordinator. We all win either way.....
Has it been said anywhere at all that the new navigation features are available for any non-Android 2.0 devices?
I haven't seen that anywhere.
I'd actually really like to know. If I can get the new features on my Blackberry that would be great.
Sorry, I guess it would help if I would read the actual blurb where it says that the iPhone app is just an approval away.
Still, it didn't link to any other stories saying that there is an iPhone app in the works, and I really haven't seen any on Engadget or else where.
I haven't seen that anywhere but that blurb in this article, so I doubt it. There is no way that Google spends so much time for this on their OS and does so without any exclusivity window.
Not to mention the initial announcement of Google Maps Navigation stated it would be available on Android 2.0 devices with the Google brand on the phone.
@ Martin "There is no way that Google spends so much time for this on their OS and does so without any exclusivity window."
If I'm reading your comment correctly (which I'm not sure of, what with the double negative in there), you're saying that Google won't release their new Navigation app on other platforms because they spent so much time developing it, they want some exclusivity. That would make sense if Google was making its money off of Android sales... but it isn't. Google makes its money off this the same way it always has.... ad revenue. Since that is the case, it would seem like Google would want this app on as many devices as possible so they can not only get more ad revenue based on the higher potential install base, but also command a higher price from advertisers because they can say "Nearly everyone who uses a cell phone for navigation does so with our software... you will get nearly 100% penetration [tee hee] by advertising with us."
The navigation software could be relegated to the iPhone's web browser just like Google Latitude was.
"However, Google is working with Apple on bringing it to the iPhone, and it's not ruling out licensing the software to makers of portable navigation devices used in cars throughout the world, said Gundotra, vice president of engineering at Google for mobile and developers. The process involving Apple is slightly different from the usual App Store submission process, because Maps is a built-in iPhone application, he said."
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10384544-265.html
Hopefully the Google Maps Navigation app will be available for the iPhone soon; there had better not be any B.S reason for it not to - yes I'm talking to you Verizon, AT&T, Apple, (insert any party involved with screwing up the process)...
one more comment, I still think that tom tom and garmin will be fine most of the people i know still have dumb phones, i feel sometimes that engadget users are a little a head of most, i.e the comment yesterday saying that most people think snapdragon is a flower, i asked my girlfriend and she thought it was a flower. it will be a long time before everyone has smartphones and will know how to use these phones like we can. ...
You forgot Google ;)
EXACTLY! (i.e. AT&T and Apple are not the best of friends with Google right now, it would be "free" and Verizon wants to at least give the Droid a "leg up")... And that's why it wont see the light of day on the iPhone App store until well into 2010. WATCH!!
A Snapdragon IS a flower.
A pretty flower at that.
(Of course people who read and comment on tech blogs are more tech savvy than the average joe.)
Let's hope apple doens't come up with a lame reason for no approving the app.
Yep, everyone will be using it for walking and driving, which will cripple the already limited bandwidth that is O2 UK (I hear ATT isn't great either). I can easily see it not approved, but apple will be under so much pressure to let that through. Not that's I'm too interested anyway, I want offline map, I don't want to pay roaming data charges when abroad using sat nav.
It will be approved. Streaming navigation solutions are already available (heck, Google Maps would be a good example) so unless this application does something silly like use a private API then it'll get through. Eventually...
Why? Why?
Kinda reminds me of soldiers marching into No Man's Land in WW1. Everyone knows they are about to be mowed down, but they go over the top anyway.
...why ...why was i programmed to feel pain?
As long as you need to have a good network coverage (the whole time) and data plan (with a fast connection) to use the free navigation from google, there will be still a lot of people who would use other gps software, that requires just an integrated gps hardware.
So true. I think having you phone as a main gps unit is a bad idea. Its only good for people that need GPS once in a blue moon and have a dash mount. For everyday gps users a stand along gps is the ticket. Who wants to be constantly taking their phone on and off the dash board for checking email, making phone calls, facebook an what not while their gps app is running....... what if u get a call right when you need to turn. the gps would shut off to answer the call right and you will miss your turn...... Stand along all the way....
Why are you checking email and facebook while you're driving?
The getting a call issue is a concern, but there are a lot of people who use their GPS unit's built in blue tooth for making and receiving calls anyway.
Google's version is in the 'cloud' only. So that means if you are driving through an area with no signal, you are shit out of luck. I will be curious to see how smart the Google app is in caching upcoming roads.
The only way these competing apps can survive is if they market their products against the 'cloud' idea, allowing for complete map downloads (like current GPS devices). Allowing users to have GPS navigation even when there is no signal.
You cannot update the map when you lose the signal but the map in the phone remains and when you drive out of the cached map region, you still have your route and position tracked so you can at least verify that you are still on the correct road.
I believe the current VZ Navigator is a cloud only based system as well, I've never run into a problem with it as far as loosing my path that way.
I'll waiting for next stable app :P.
I don't know how much data the google navigation gulps down during usage, but it seems it's only really useful if you're using it within the country where you have your subscription with a proper dataplan. Taking a trip to another country you would be either shit out of luck or shit out of money pretty fast unless you had the maps stored on your device.
so google map navigation is waiting for iphone approval ??? i wasn't aware of that. i thought its only coming to android 2.0. please can anyone confirm that ?
I am almost as sick of people mentioning Droid as I am iPhone.
Are you iPhone?
I can't help but feel you guys are over-playing this google-nav thing. I understand it might be big in the world of AT&T and Verizon, but Sprint has included GPS in their everything data plans since its conception.
Next you guys will be jumping for joy when VZW and ATT release TV for free.. maybe i'm just spoiled.
The difference is that with Sprint's everything plan, you are paying for their routing service. Your argument is like saying "I get free minutes on Sprint's unlimited plan". That just isn't true. Verizon is still going to be selling its 9.99 VZ Navigator--so Google Nav is truly a free program. Now, before you go off saying that my argument holds true for Google Navigation, keep in mind that I'm sure that people will be able to get this on non-cell phone devices for free and use it accordingly (wi-fi instead of cell) even though it may not quite work as well as on a cellular device. But I'm also sure the price will be pop-up advertisements while using the service.
I have to disagree with you on that. Att and vzw still have topay for nav on top of their standard data plans. They've already explained gnav doesn't cache the maps, so its going to need a near constant connection.
this is a big win for customers with those providers no doubt, but I still don't think its as big a deal as the writers here would like it to be.
I can't speak for ATT, but Verizon has to pay for the Nav service? I'm guessing you meant the Vzw customer does. Either way, VZ Nav is included in their Unlimited plan--its just that its much more expensive than Sprint.
Also, you are mistaken on the fact that Google Nav doesn't cache maps--if you create a trip, Google does pre-cache that particular route, so this could work on non-cell devices.
i can tel by some comments in here that some of you arent well informed. the google navigation will cache the entire route to your phone from what google said. therefore if a data connection is not available on the route the routing will not be affected. google did confirm this is coming to iphone but they said since the google maps is built into the iphone software it is different than just releasing an app. so hopefully google and apple dont make this a long process but it looks like apple will need to work it into a future firmware.
The caching is nice but it still requires data from Google if you deviate from your route. I want the whole map and nothing but the whole map on my device. I don't have any issue with live data services providing value-added information, such as traffic updates, but under no circumstances do I want to rely on it for the core functionality.
It only caches the route that you are on. If you are not connected and have to detour for construction, although how often do we ever run into that situation in larger cities, or want to search for POI or need to pull off to eat, grab a coffee or relieve yourself you are SOL until you have a data connection. I wonder whether it it dumps your route if you detour without a connection and then get back on the route. Will it pick up where it left off or just leave you hanging till you have a signal?
"If you are not connected and have to detour for construction . . . or want to search for POI or need to pull off to eat, grab a coffee or relieve yourself you are SOL until you have a data connection."
Wow, how much of a crutch is GPS navigation for you people? Are you as bad as Michael Scott who turned into a lake because the GPS said "turn right" (which led into the lake) rather than "bear right" along the road? You really can't take a 5 min. detour to take a pee and find your way back to your route?
"Oh no! I don't have a GPS to tell me where to go for that half block back to the freeway! What do I do?!"
Guess who owns NAVTEQ - Nokia. It just a giant wheel going around-and-around.
I could hardly care less about Google-Nav considering I picked a decent carrier and thus get free navigation software to go with my Palm Pre, along with a significantly cheaper plan than the rest across the board.
Google navigation won't work in the area without cellphone signal. If you got a Droid, congrat, you can't use it when you are traveling in Europe, Verizon will give you a temporary mono screen gsm phone from last century.
Did I miss something, when did Google say that it was coming to other platforms? I think they should keep it on android phones only to attract people to their own OS. Also being that Google Navigation is going to be in Beta, I don't think apple would even approve that, would they?
I'm sorry, but I don't want Google navigation (even if it is free). Having to depend on AT&T's wireless network for my maps is a no-go for me.
So Darren, going to give us a source on this "just an approval away" line? Google said they'd be bringing Navigation exclusively to Google *branded* handsets, so I'm really interested to see where you got that from.
No they didn't. At most they said it's only coming to Android phones right now. That's a world of difference from "exclusive" to Android. Google doesn't do exclusive. Google's business model is to get their products into as many people's hands as possible to maximize ad revenue.
For all of you who bemoan live data stream mapping in case you go out of service area... how many of you have actually done that? I have, extensively, and with catching, it is possible, and I did it because TOMTOM is such a sucky interface for freeform driving, which is what I do a lot. I rarely have a set destination to bnon driving, like mountain hiking and e guided to...
I would like to mention MotionX gps solutions for the iphone, they are very very good. GPS sport is awesome for non driving, like sailing, hiking, biking and such, if you are out of service, then browse the maps at the res you want, before you set out, and the app will catch the maps. It records your route, you can export your route to google maps via facebook to share with your mates, or import the track to google earth... and their Drive app is almost the same as googles nav app, just no voice recognition, it also works quite well, but yes, it does cost a fee for voice directions because that is licensed...
All in all, imho, the winning uses for Tomtom and garmin devices are very limited now.
Oh, this senseless fever about droid... In my country google dont have good maps, only some streets in capital are named. And you have to download map data... This is silly.
"Pending Apple Approval" With Google and Apple going at it recently I would be surprised if Apple didn't try to delay or just completely stop any update to the iPhone.
Besides...why would Google want this additional function on a competing phone? I would imagine because things have gone sour, that Google would keep that functionality on their Android platform.
I, for one, am getting kinda tired of all this hype. Remember all those iPhone lovers who kept saying "phone to end all phones", "unbeatable", "everyone else should pack up shop and leave town"? Those same people must be writing these stories.
Yes, Google Nav will be a worthy competitor to paid GPS apps on a phone. But not if you want to pre-plan your route on the plane before you get to your rental car. Not if you're driving into the hills to go camping. Not if you ever want your Nav to come out of Beta...
All this will do is cause cell based services to drop from $10 a month to $3. It will drop TomTom and Navigon from $100 to $30. It will be good for consumers, and that's all that matters.
Hey those streets are in my hometown, cupertino sunnyvale border
Well don't you think Google's revenue will increase if the navigational map app was exclusively on android phones. More people would want android because of the free GPS service, which will attract more nationwide carriers and phone manufacturers. Google obviously wants Android to be the top OS. It doesnt make sense that one of the most appealing things about android 2.0 will be ported to the iphone. Think about it, Google has been pushing android to be on every carrier, putting alot of work into their product, thinking of innovating ways to appeal to customers to one day eclipse apple, but you are still helping out the enemy by giving them software that should be used to lure apple users to Android. I love competition and Google is being to friendly with Apple! Next thing you know Apple will come out with a commercial broadcasting free GPS on the iphone blah blah..SMACk in Verizon's face!
Don't really know why they need this for the iPhone...all those iPhone and Apple folks keep trashing Google. Why should Google do anything for iPhone and Apple? WHY?
You couldn't GIVE me a GPS app that uses Mapquest! Their maps have never failed to send me in a wrong direction.
If Apple ditches Google Maps as a native app, I would be willing to pay for a Google Maps/Earth/Latitude/GPS all-in-one app for a large sum of money.
Typically I use Vlingo when navigating in non rural areas - I don't need turn by turn in the city. I have Tom Tom and I use it where all other resources fail. Try using google navigation or even the iPhones built in GPS map program anywhere you don't have a good clear cell phone signal.
In the city and along most interstates you usually have good enough signal - and plenty of signage to get you where you are going. Typically a secondary road in a lower population areas is where you will need it most, especially when you don't have a signal to call someone for directions. Cross the border into Canada? Well guess what data services cost $14.95 / MB for AT&T customers traveling in Canada. Google's maps will be useful where you have good signal (and lots of other resources to get you directions) but useless when you need it most.
A standalone device with all the map information for the entire U.S. stored locally is still superior to something that has to periodically suck the map data down off a wireless connection. The iPhone GPS is a joke when you get outside of a 3G area...intermittent EDGE = iAmLost. And even if the Google application does store at least your planned route, it can't possibly locally store all the alternatives when you miss a turn or get diverted by road work or traffic to an alternate route. The U.S. wireless infrastructure just isn't robust enough for the cloud computing model to really work here.
Besides, car-based navigation is going to become like air-conditioning within 10 years. Virtually every car will have it standard - and the car will have a wireless data connection to feed you live traffic information and keep the local map data constantly updated, as well as a connection to inertial sensors and wheel speed sensors in the car to further refine accuracy. Nobody really wants something they have to plug into their cigarette lighter and mount to their dashboard with wires hanging all over the car - the integrated solution will eventually kill off the standalone units, once the price comes down from the current, robbery without a gun level.
Standalone GPS units are going the way of the "bag phone" cellular phone eventually, but Google isn't going to kill them off, Toyota will.