Navigon to Add Live Traffic Data as In-App Purchase for MobileNavigator

[ksmith80209]

Gizmodo - without much sourcing or detail - is reporting that Navigon's traffic info feature will be a $25 in-app purchase. No details on whether it's a one-time purchase, annual, etc.

http://gizmodo.com/5361162/navigon-w...-on-the-iphone

$25 is a bit more than i was hoping for... Let's hope that number is wrong.

[vertigo235]

Sounds like per that article it would be a one time purchase.

I'm in!

Certainly not $25 per month though.

[strike1555]

This right here sealed the deal on which app to buy. Navigon is absolutely destroying TomTom and all the other navigation apps in features.

[Julien]

Just read about it on Gizmodo and can here eagerly expecting a ton of info. So no info on when?

[vertigo235]

I gotta say I'm impresed with NAVIGON's programming team, they are seriously grinding out some updates and adding in some features very quickly for their iPhone app.

Contrasting TomTom who boasted over a year ago that they had their software running on the iPhone then took forever to release it once they could.

[Ntombi]

A one-time fee of $25 is a bargain. I'd even pay $25/year. If this is true, I'm thrilled!

[MacRumors]

CNET reports that GPS firm Navigon will be releasing a new feature for its MobileNavigator North America [App Store, $89.99] iPhone application that will add live traffic data to assist users in plotting routes. The add-on will be available beginning next month as a one-time $24.99 in-app purchase, although it will be discounted to $19.99 for the first four weeks of availability.

According to Navigon, the new Traffic Live feature will provide precise traffic information by using real-time speed data from over 1 million drivers across North America, including commercial fleets such as trucks and taxis, as well as regular drivers with GPS systems. The feature also uses information from traffic cameras, speed sensors, and conventional traffic messages coming through a radio network.

Navigon, which launched its North American iPhone application in late July, and has offered several updates since that time. The most recent update to MobileNavigator North America, released just last week, adds support for full text-to-speech and integrated iPod controls, as well as several other features.

Article Link: Navigon to Add Live Traffic Data as In-App Purchase for MobileNavigator

[Randman]

With every bit of news, I'm and more and more glad I got Navigon. It's gotten better each and every time.

[jsimpson]

I read somewhere else it would be 20.00 one time fee for a limited time then it would go up to 25.00. I haven't seen when you could buy it though. I don't see anything in the app at this time for an in app purchase. Does anyone else?
*update* Looks like October
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10354874-233.html

[DotComCTO]

Bah! That's a bummer right there. I wouldn't have thought that Navigon would go this route for traffic. That said, I'll end up buying it because it's such an important feature. I wonder whether in-app purchases like this transfer to a secondary iPhone? I think the answer is, "no", right?

I also wonder if this is how Navigon will handle the quarterly NAVTEQ updates?



Oh...and two other questions...

Does anyone know where Google Maps sources its traffic data from? I always thought it came from the highway road sensor data, but I don't think that information extends to all the roads that Google Maps reports on. So, there has to be a different source. I wonder whether Navigon and Google are using the same source. I'm curious because I find the Google traffic info reasonably accurate.

I wonder whether Navigon will be polling that traffic data regularly during the drive, or whether it's just a one-time event - like when you're planning your route.



--DotComCTO

[lordhamster]

Finally!!

Lets hope they also include the ability to select roads to avoid and they've got themselves a proper product!

[sfditty]

If figures. I could have used traffic data last week. I was using the text to speech (I don't have a windshield mount) to navigate from Providence, Rhee to Hartford, Court. Bad accident on the way, wish I had known about it ahead of time.

[coolbreeze]

Hmm, I'm all about one time fees, but since this is the second fee from navigon, I'm worried about the future...

Yes, I'll spring for $19.99, but they are pushing their luck.

3 yrs from now, we may have several hundred invested in GPS apps/addons. This concerns me and brings back the question: are standalone units really cheaper in the long run?

/we'll see.

[sl1200mk2]

For a one time $20 I'm in. I got Navigon at the discounted rate, so this (for me) is still a good deal.

More info on TUAW:

"Navigon has announced that the traffic info, which they call Traffic Live, will be available as an in-app purchase for US$19.99 for the first 4 weeks it is offered, then it will cost $24.99 as a one time purchase with no other month to month service fees."

The system they are describing uses a mix of historical data along with real-time information to calculate the best route. The historical part sounds an awful lot like Tom Tom's IQ routes. Not saying it's better (never used Tom Tom), but seems to have a similar approach.

I love the fact they are just pouring on with the updates and quick releases. Really just about the single best app I've purchased for the iphone ever.

[Hawkeye411]

I bought CoPilot NA and I'm still waiting for their 1st update!! The maps are more than 4 years old!!

Guess I should have bought Navigon when it first came out and was on sale. Looks like they are working hard to keep their customers happy!

Cheers.

[intrepid00]

Traffic data is largely supplied by Uncle Sam with some private help because they watch it anyway to direct traffic and plan for it. 20 bucks lifetime for what you can get off the air for free is awesome. TomTom is proably crapping thier pants because they proably want that plus some a year to rehash what's free for them.

[vertigo235]

Originally Posted by DotComCTO

Bah! That's a bummer right there. I wouldn't have thought that Navigon would go this route for traffic. That said, I'll end up buying it because it's such an important feature. I wonder whether in-app purchases like this transfer to a secondary iPhone? I think the answer is, "no", right?

I also wonder if this is how Navigon will handle the quarterly NAVTEQ updates?



--DotComCTO

Since it's tied to your itunes account, I would think that it would work just like app purchases, but I've never made an in-app purchase.

I'll let you know as soon as this one comes out! $20 for lifetime access to service like this is an EASY decision.

[gloss]

Originally Posted by coolbreeze

Hmm, I'm all about one time fees, but since this is the second fee from navigon, I'm worried about the future...

Yes, I'll spring for $19.99, but they are pushing their luck.

3 yrs from now, we may have several hundred invested in GPS apps/addons. This concerns me and brings back the question: are standalone units really cheaper in the long run?

/we'll see.

Standalone units typically charge a monthly fee for traffic.

[trainguy77]

I wonder if this will be offered for calgary in canada? Alot of companies don't have traffic feeds for us.

[IBradMac]

I must say I am impressed with Navigon and how they have dealt with their navigation app. Updates, new features etc.....poor ole tomtom.

[jlanuez]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7C144 Safari/528.16)

Originally Posted by IBradMac

I must say I am impressed with Navigon and how they have dealt with their navigation app. Updates, new features etc.....poor ole tomtom.

Can I "return" my TomTom App for a refund???!!!

I made a mistake, should have gone with Navagon.

TomTom takes yet another blow!

[Theraker007]

this is welcome news, i got stuck in traffic the other day, woulda been great to have known ahead of time.

i like this app for the most part, but I had a really rough time wit it this weekend in driving into nyc from albany, ny

it kept dropping its signal and one time it did it right b4 i was supposed to get off an exit, and so it annoucned that i should get off the exit after I had passed it, then when it recalculated the route it did so a split second too late that i missed the next exit and it kept doing that until i just got off on my own and sat still while it took all day to get my route fixed.

anyone else having this connection dropping problem?

[kugino]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye411

I bought CoPilot NA and I'm still waiting for their 1st update!! The maps are more than 4 years old!!

Guess I should have bought Navigon when it first came out and was on sale. Looks like they are working hard to keep their customers happy!

Cheers.

copilot did have an update yesterday...qwerty keyboard being the main thing. i've actually been quite pleased with copilot...and at $35, it's still a great deal. would love TTS more than real-time traffic, though. hope that's in the next update.

navigon's a bit too pricey for me, especially since i have an in-dash nav in one car and a portable garmin for the other...but, it does look like the leader among the iphone nav apps. they seem to be doing a good job.

[fpnc]

Yes, CoPilot Live just had an update. I'm downloading it now to see if I notice much difference -- it's a 1.2GB update so hopefully they've made some significant improvements. Also, they are now saying that live traffic updates will be available as a premium service (i.e. paid update) this month (they say, "SEPTEMBER").

[Firewolve]

Real-Time-Traffic will be available mid-October for a one-time fee (no monthly fee!) of $19.99 (in the first four weeks) and $24.99 later. In Europe it'll be €19.99/€24.99.
That's much cheaper than I expected it to be. I thought they won't charge a one-time fee but offer a yearly subscription for $50+.

Press Release (Europe): http://www.navigon.com/site/int/en/p...chive/2009/615
cnet: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-10354874-233.html