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Garmin Releases New 'Onboard' Turn-By-Turn GPS Apps for iOS

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Earlier this year, major GPS navigation firm Garmin released its first turn-by-turn navigation app for iOS. But rather than having all map data included within the application, Garmin StreetPilot relied on data access to download maps as needed. Garmin touted the decision as offering smaller and quicker downloads with the most up-to-date mapping data, but it also required users to tap into their data plan to use the application and could result in poor navigation in areas of poor or no cell coverage.

garmin_onboard_1.jpg



To address those issues, Garmin today announced the release of several "StreetPilot Onboard" apps offering full map data bundled within the apps to allow for offline navigation.
Garmin StreetPilot Onboard puts the vast preloaded database and intuitive interface of a Garmin nüvi into the iPhone you use everyday - without tapping into your dataplan. With ultra-fast map drawing, panning and zooming, the preloaded maps and Points of Interest offer peace of mind in knowing that wireless coverage and dataplan usage are not required to access maps or calculate routes. So just as with a nüvi, the maps and directions are always there when you need them most - especially when you can't get cell or Wi-Fi signals or your dataplan is running low.
Click to expand...
Three versions of StreetPilot Onboard are available:

- Garmin U.S.A. ($39.99): Lower 49 states plus a number of Caribbean islands
- Garmin N. America ($49.99): United States, Canada, Mexico, and a number of Caribbean islands
- Garmin UK & Ireland (£44.99): Full maps of Great Britain, Isle of Man, and Channel Islands, with coverage of major cities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

garmin_onboard_2.jpg



Real-time traffic and fuel price data are also available as separate in-app purchases.

Just last week, Garmin announced that it had completed its acquisition of German GPS firm Navigon, which itself offers a full suite of two dozen GPS applications for iOS covering various countries and regions.

Article Link: Garmin Releases New 'Onboard' Turn-By-Turn GPS Apps for iOS
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/08/02/garmin-releases-new-onboard-turn-by-turn-gps-apps-for-ios/
E

eklof

macrumors member
Jul 20, 2011
94
0
Seems a bit strange. Not that they own Navigon, i think they should focus all resources on that app.
 
xUKHCx

xUKHCx

Administrator emeritus
Jan 15, 2006
12,583
9
The Kop
eklof said:
Seems a bit strange. Not that they own Navigon, i think they should focus all resources on that app.
Click to expand...

Probably brand recognition and loyalty.

If I didn't read these forums I wouldn't know about Navigon and when I would go to buy a GPS app I'd probably search for Garmin as I know and trust their phyical gps'.
 
malnar

malnar

macrumors 6502a
Aug 20, 2008
634
60
So rather than FIX the current app and make it work the way it should, they're just going to screw everyone who bought it and hope they pay AGAIN for new apps by a company that has shown they don't know how to do apps and don't care about their company. Smart thinking there, Garmin. I'll stick with Magellan, thanks, jerk faces.
 
Samuriajackon

Samuriajackon

macrumors 6502
Feb 9, 2009
304
1
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_9 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8E501 Safari/6533.18.5)

50$. I will keep using the streets and maps app on my iphone
 
BC2009

BC2009

macrumors 68020
Jul 1, 2009
2,237
1,393
I wonder if this moves spells a "new" set of apps to merge the Navigon and Garmin apps into one. I love Garmin from back in the day, but they failed to show up to the iOS app party because they got focused on the "nuvifone" (big mistake). Navigon quickly became the leader in the iOS marketplace by being first and providing the most comprehensive features. In time I have come to prefer Navigon to my old Garmin. Now I am a bit worried about what direction Garmin is going to take.

The best thing Garmin could do for iOS is offer the same app under two names. Keep the Navigon app, and do a rebranding of it as "Garmin Mobile Navigator" so folks who know the "Garmin" name will find it, but folks who have become loyal "Navigon" users are not turned away.

If they attempt to pull the rug out from under the Navigon app, then they have been foolish in acquiring Navigon -- they could lose a large portion of the customer base they just acquired.
 
stisdal

stisdal

macrumors 6502
Feb 28, 2010
320
1
USA
BC2009 said:
The best thing Garmin could do for iOS is offer the same app under two names. Keep the Navigon app, and do a rebranding of it as "Garmin Mobile Navigator" so folks who know the "Garmin" name will find it, but folks who have become loyal "Navigon" users are not turned away.

If they attempt to pull the rug out from under the Navigon app, then they have been foolish in acquiring Navigon -- they could lose a large portion of the customer base they just acquired.
Click to expand...

I still have a Navigon stand alone GPS unit in my car, and was not happy when the company pulled out of the stand alone market to focus on the smart phone market. (pulling support for my stand alone unit, which was supposed to have 3 years of free map updates)

I did purchase the iPhone Navigon app as I do like the UI, but if support is pulled again I don't think I would put any tru$t in Garmin either...
 
tirk

tirk

macrumors 6502
Jun 16, 2010
298
27
Wimbledon, UK
MacRumors said:
- Garmin U.S.A. ($39.99): Lower 49 states plus a number of Caribbean islands
- Garmin N. America ($49.99): United States, Canada, Mexico, and a number of Caribbean islands
- Garmin UK & Ireland (£44.99): Full maps of Great Britain, Isle of Man, and Channel Islands, with coverage of major cities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Click to expand...

Considering the exchange rate is currently USD1.63 = UKL1, even allowing for 20% VAT in the UK that's a pretty shocking mark up. :mad:
 
E

erohloff

macrumors newbie
Aug 1, 2011
4
0
WI
I guess this just proves that if you're late to the party, buy the leader and your all good.

Seriously, my first comment when reading this was "NOOOOO!!!!" I had a Garmin stand along GPS, but fell in love with Navigon when I bought my iPhone. It was one of the first apps I purchased (Tom Tom suggested the stupid $100 car kit, WHY!!!). Navigon isn't perfect but it's damn close. Let's hope and pray that Garmin expands on the app, not destroy it like Adobe destroyed GoLive, PageMaker and Dreamweaver (but I'm not bitter, hehe)
 
S

samwise

macrumors regular
Apr 17, 2005
118
2
North Salt Lake, Utah
tirk said:
Considering the exchange rate is currently USD1.63 = UKL1, even allowing for 20% VAT in the UK that's a pretty shocking mark up. :mad:
Click to expand...

Garmin charges $59.99, $79.99 and £33.99 respectively for the City Navigator NT maps for their standalone sat navs.

So the standalone unit mapping is more for US customers, but the iPhone mapping is more for UK customers... :confused:
 
Krevnik

Krevnik

macrumors 601
Sep 8, 2003
4,100
1,309
So the new apps have an updated (likely improved) UI, and StreetPilot doesn't have that.

But now StreetPilot is 60$, priced higher than any of the new apps. What the hell are they thinking? If it is because of the upcoming update, don't you release the update with the features before asking for more money? Really, Garmin?
 
*LTD*

*LTD*

macrumors G4
Feb 5, 2009
10,703
1
Canada
malnar said:
So rather than FIX the current app and make it work the way it should, they're just going to screw everyone who bought it and hope they pay AGAIN for new apps by a company that has shown they don't know how to do apps and don't care about their company. Smart thinking there, Garmin. I'll stick with Magellan, thanks, jerk faces.
Click to expand...

THIS. This 1000x.

IMHO here's nothing wrong with Street Pilot. It works very well. HOWEVER, why not simply fix it? Does this mean that Street Pilot will be left to rot?

Gamin . . .:rolleyes: So much potential and they're half-assing it.

I might switch back to TomTom and be done with Garmin. We'll see.
 
Last edited:
GaryMumford

GaryMumford

macrumors 6502
Jul 25, 2008
367
699
UK
erohloff said:
I guess this just proves that if you're late to the party, buy the leader and your all good.

Seriously, my first comment when reading this was "NOOOOO!!!!" I had a Garmin stand along GPS, but fell in love with Navigon when I bought my iPhone. It was one of the first apps I purchased (Tom Tom suggested the stupid $100 car kit, WHY!!!). Navigon isn't perfect but it's damn close. Let's hope and pray that Garmin expands on the app, not destroy it like Adobe destroyed GoLive, PageMaker and Dreamweaver (but I'm not bitter, hehe)
Click to expand...

I know this is off Topic, But Seriously... IMHO GoLive and PageMaker needed killing off as soon as possible. Especially PageMaker!!! It was a god awful application. As for dreamweaver, I still use it on a daily basis and I'm really happy with it. Ive tried many other HTML editors like Coda, Hype and BBE but still end up going back to Dreamweaver... Then again, I still use Quark Xpress, so who am I to comment! :eek:

So bac to topic, Carry on...
 
malnar

malnar

macrumors 6502a
Aug 20, 2008
634
60
*LTD* said:
THIS. This 1000x.

IMHO here's nothing wrong with Street Pilot. It works very well. HOWEVER, why not simply fix it? Does this mean that Street Pilot will be left to rot?
Click to expand...
I guess I should have qualified my comment - the original Garmin Streetpilot app does work, and I've even defended it that way, but it doesn't work the way people want, which is with onboard maps. I liked the interface, its routing, etc. I think it was the best when it comes to that. But it EATS data - if you're on a 200mb plan, absolutely DO NOT get that app! I don't see why they couldn't have swallowed their pride, and a little profit, and made and all-new app to replace and update the old version with rather than just make a second app all together. This is just yet another bad business move that makes Garmin look awful. Imagine the good will they could have generated if they'd replaced everyone's old version with this new app that does what everyone had been asking for? It would be all over the place. Now, I'm betting there will be a lot of complaints like mine.
 
malnar

malnar

macrumors 6502a
Aug 20, 2008
634
60
GaryMumford said:
I know this is off Topic, But Seriously... IMHO GoLive and PageMaker needed killing off as soon as possible. Especially PageMaker!!! It was a god awful application. As for dreamweaver, I still use it on a daily basis and I'm really happy with it. Ive tried many other HTML editors like Coda, Hype and BBE but still end up going back to Dreamweaver... Then again, I still use Quark Xpress, so who am I to comment! :eek:

So bac to topic, Carry on...
Click to expand...
Staying off topic, sorry... I used to use PageMaker and completely agree. InDesign isn't perfect either but it's a huge improvement over RageMaker.
 
H

hexonxonx

macrumors 601
Jul 4, 2007
4,610
1
Denver Colorado
I may be giving this a try today. I had bought the Street Pilot app a few months back and was disappointed in the fact that it looked identical to the version I once ran on a Blackberry.

This version appears to look like a full featured stand alone GPS that I have.
 
L

lobsterkatie

macrumors newbie
Jan 12, 2011
8
0
I know, none of you care, but that shot is like a mile from the house where I grew up! And the road really does look exactly like that! :)
 
D

Dizzler

macrumors regular
Apr 28, 2009
133
14
I hate the Garmin maps. They are sooooo ugly. The best thing Garmin can do is use Google maps, which are far easier to read. I have a stand-alone Garmin Nuvi in my car and I hate the darn thing. the navigation is not intuitive and the maps are just plain hard to read.
 
rhp2424

rhp2424

macrumors regular
Jul 23, 2008
122
18
lobsterkatie said:
I know, none of you care, but that shot is like a mile from the house where I grew up! And the road really does look exactly like that! :)
Click to expand...

Actually, I care! I used to frequently take that route and I had the same thought. :)
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
Another huge fan of the Navigon apps here! I hope it thrives and grows under Garmin’s ownership. Great app, great features, reliable, and I love the iOS-like yet unique UI. Awesome on the iPad too. But for now I’m a bit nervous about its fate...

At the same time, I’m glad the platform has yet another non-network-dependent option now. Google-style network-dependent navigation is a terrible idea. You could write a sitcom about the people I’ve seen using the Android’s built in guidance :D (which, I’ll admit, is nice for the price of free—unless you get lost somewhere you don’t want to be). And that’s in a major city. Out in the boonies, navigation is even more vital, and cell coverage is even more sparse.
 
K

Keebler

macrumors 68030
Jun 20, 2005
2,960
207
Canada
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

I just hope they keep that hot australian girl's voice for giving directions :). Lol
 
*LTD*

*LTD*

macrumors G4
Feb 5, 2009
10,703
1
Canada
I haven't tried Navigon.

Would any of you recommend it?

I've already tried TomTom, MotionX GPS Drive, and StreetPilot. StreetPilot is my preference at the moment, given its great UI. It's a bit of a resource hog, but I don't really mind.
 
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