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Google Introduces Free GPS Navigation for Android 2.0

ChazUK said:
I like to watch the road whilst driving, not swooning over a car cradle.
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Exactly. For all the hoopla it's missing a very important feature - text to speech and the naming of the next turn/street name. I have Copilot Live for the iphone and it gives me great 3D views, text to speech and with the live traffic add on I get live traffic reports not to mention a fuel price locator. It costs $35 and isn't dependent upon getting a cell signal nor does it eat up your minutes while you're using it. The European version of Copilot has voice commands and I suspect a future update here will give us the same feature.
 
Dreamail said:
This is one heck of a competitive advantage for any Android phone.
So why would Google offer it for the iPhone?
Remember, this app is _free_ on Android. Google would not earn anything by porting to the iPhone (except the user data). Yet it would destroy the Android's advantage.
Forget it.
Not happening any time soon.
Apple must have known this, which is why they bought that other map company...
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I thought Android was open source? What does Google have to gain from there being more Android devices other than more usage data and more integrated/easier ad placement? Isn't that what they make their money off of? It seems to me Android is the ideal way for them to get data and sell ads more effectively, but they would still want that opportunity from every other mobile platform as well. Their goal is more data mining and ad sales, they aren't interested in dominating the smartphone market.
 
Poor assumptions being made

There are a number of poor assumptions being made... To many to quote.

It's trvial to have the app download all the necessary maps when the route is planned and store local maps or maps from previously driven areas to compensate for service holes. The worst case may just be the inabilty to initiate a route from somewhere without service. Assuming google does their programing right, which they usually do.

Having had a stand alone GPS for 8 years and now using navigon on my iPhone I GREATLY miss my stand alone units. There are too many things that I want to do simultanously that are difficult when it's all bundled in on device. I'd far rather have a stand alone GPS that could utilize my phone for contacts and downloading info (traffic) than a full integrated solution that makes changing podcasts, adjusting volume between gps and iPod, using the phone, etc. a royal PITA.

Apple would LOVE this on the iPhone because it'll sell iPhones. Apple would get flak if they developed a free app to compete with the paid GPS apps, but if a 3rd party developed one then they're covered.
 
i have both verizon and att. I am done with att now for sure. Droid here i come bye bye iphone. I think this app sealed the deal for me. I know it will get ported but it was the straw that broke the camels back.
 
It has no voice to text feature which means you'll have to constantly take your eyes off the road. It is dependent on having a strong consistent cell signal to work and it eats up your minutes as you use it.
 
stockscalper said:
It has no voice to text feature which means you'll have to constantly take your eyes off the road. It is dependent on having a strong consistent cell signal to work and it eats up your minutes as you use it.
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How would it "eat your minutes?" It uses the data connection (as far as I know) not the voice connection.
 
mattster16 said:
I thought Android was open source? What does Google have to gain from there being more Android devices other than more usage data and more integrated/easier ad placement? Isn't that what they make their money off of? It seems to me Android is the ideal way for them to get data and sell ads more effectively, but they would still want that opportunity from every other mobile platform as well. Their goal is more data mining and ad sales, they aren't interested in dominating the smartphone market.
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AFAIK, phone manufactures pay to include Google services in the phones firmware.

At an OS level, Android is free but to add Google search e.t.c then the manufacturers pay for it. I believe this is why CyanogenMOD got hit with a Cease and desist from Google with his custom roms.
 
MotionxxUSxx said:
Why would they be pissed. From my understanding maps are not stored on the device for the google nav app. I would never want a navigation system that does not have maps on board. I travel to many places that have edge or no service and I need a navigation app. In this case the google nav app would be useless.
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I can see this application being a nice option but it isn't one that I would choose over one with the maps built-in. Having always up-to-date maps (in theory) is nice but if you don't live in a country where the providers give you an unlimited data quota then having everything local is quite important. If you can't rely on a data connection always being where you want to go then that's going to be a bit of an issue too.

It's a nice option for free but, as usual, you can probably get a more practical solution if you are prepared to pay.
 
Fafafoooey said:
$Free.99 is always welcome. I don't mind ads. As long as the maps are local to the phone, not using 3G. Then that would be a Nav software killers, so get it together TomTom and Garmin and Navigon, you just might be pounced out of the iPhone GPS business.
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Not really. This model is used by Symbian on S60 - Nokia's S60 has kept their own Ovi Maps local on the device without Voice Guided Navigation and also same for TomTom, Garmin, Route66, and many others have been healthy for about 6yrs!
 
no clue what ur talking about stockscalper but yes this looks like a killer app. I mean its free and looks to be better than any navigation app in the current store. Of course a test drive of the system is needed before claiming how good it is but its Google. They wouldn't be putting out a crap product.

Navigaon, TomTom, and the other GPS apps should be shaking in there boots right now. Betting AT&T doesnt like this either since they have there own monthly app in the store. Hope we dont have a Google Voice situation in the works.
 
edesignuk said:
Android is open source, Google Maps is not.
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Yeah, but the person I was responding to said Google wouldn't put the Google Navigation on the iPhone because that would give Android less of a competitive advantage. If Android is open source, what is Google's motivation in giving it a competitive advantage? They wouldn't be doing it from a profit stand point since they make no money off Android.

I guess they could do it for long term market penetration. I just don't see them giving up usage data and potential ad revenue from iPhone users using this nav app just to give Android a competitive advantage and hope that it increases market share in the future. It all depends on what Google's goals for Android are.

People forget Google is a data mining/advertisement company. You've gotta keep that in mind when thinking about their actions. They aren't some charitable organization giving us all these wonderful services out of generosity.
 
Michael73 said:
Incredible. I hope it's ported to the iPhone OS. :D
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macswitcha2 said:
Is this going to come to iPhone?
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zombitronic said:
Awesome news. Hopefully, this will just become a feature in the built-in Google Maps app. I'm glad that I haven't purchased any turn-by-turn GPS apps.
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dread said:
If apple brings this to the iphone there will be some pissed off people that have already purchased navigation apps. However, the iphone will need this to stay competitive.
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Sky Blue said:
Cool, now I don't have to purchase a turn by turn app at Christmas, I'll wait it out for this.
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I was just about to buy one. I have been testing MapQuest Navigator and GPS Drive.

I really hope this makes it into the Google Maps app on the iPhone soon or at all, but I kinda have my doubts. It seems like Google is really pitting their products against Apple and won't be so willing to share anymore.

I am not going to be buying a GPS app now though. I will wait to see what happens. We probably won't see anything until next summer with a new iPhone and iPhone OS 4.0. I am very curious what Apple has up their sleeve to stay strong in a very competitive environment we have going here! Competition is good though.

phatcat said:
Awesome. Now Google has some leverage against Apple. Apple better approve google voice soon, as I could see Google "reviewing," ahem, iPhone portability for quite a long time.
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Haha, ya. But I hope this doesn't turn into Apple vs. Google because I think things are a LOT better when they both work together like before! :(

Man, it sure seems like Google is aiming to take over everything in the world lol. Not to be the conspiracy type or anything, but imagine the bad things that could be done with the products and tools and data that Google is gaining if it fell into the wrong hands! :eek: The more we move into the future the less I like information about everything I do being so readily available. :eek:
 
Personally, the most interesting part of this story is waiting to see how Goona will spin this into a Droid/Android 2.0 negative, iPhone positive. I imagine it will go something like this:

Goona said:
The last "iPhone killer" (Palm Pre) comes with TBT GPS and look at how well it did :rolleyes: The app store already has TBT GPS apps that use the Internet connection out of the 100,000 apps available Let's see android or the Pre beat that! Face it, the iPhone is the best phone that will ever exist.
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MacFly123 said:
Man, it sure seems like Google is aiming to take over everything in the world lol. Not to be the conspiracy type or anything, but imagine the bad things that could be done with the products and tools and data that Google is gaining if it fell into the wrong hands! :eek: The more we move into the future the less I like information about everything I do being so readily available. :eek:
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Who says Google won't become the 'wrong hands' someday?? dun dun dun :eek:
 
Lets hope that Apples and Google's love tiff wont delay this coming to the iphone.

Have to say that a very nice app.. Will do the android phone credit
 
mattster16 said:
Yeah, but the person I was responding to said Google wouldn't put the Google Navigation on the iPhone because that would give Android less of a competitive advantage. If Android is open source, what is Google's motivation in giving it a competitive advantage? They wouldn't be doing it from a profit stand point since they make no money off Android.

I guess they could do it for long term market penetration. I just don't see them giving up usage data and potential ad revenue from iPhone users using this nav app just to give Android a competitive advantage and hope that it increases market share in the future. It all depends on what Google's goals for Android are.

People forget Google is a data mining/advertisement company. You've gotta keep that in mind when thinking about their actions. They aren't some charitable organization giving us all these wonderful services out of generosity.
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QFT. It really makes sense for Google to put this on as many devices it can.
 
irfan22 said:
no clue what ur talking about stockscalper but yes this looks like a killer app. I mean its free and looks to be better than any navigation app in the current store. Of course a test drive of the system is needed before claiming how good it is but its Google. They wouldn't be putting out a crap product.

Navigaon, TomTom, and the other GPS apps should be shaking in there boots right now. Betting AT&T doesnt like this either since they have there own monthly app in the store. Hope we dont have a Google Voice situation in the works.
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Actually, it does not look better than any navigation app in the App Store. A navigation app that needs a data connection to function is worthless to me. The app also lacks many key features such a text to voice.

It's interesting but it won't replace Navigon for me or any one else that wants a full featured navigation app.

S-
 
sidewinder said:
Actually, it does not look better than any navigation app in the App Store. A navigation app that needs a data connection to function is worthless to me. The app also lacks many key features such a text to voice.

It's interesting but it won't replace Navigon for me or any one else that wants a full featured navigation app.

S-
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the data connection is the only drawback I see. Not sure about text to speech the video never said the app included it but i would assume it does. And i tell you to watch the video I posted its seems more feature rich than anything else out there. Hey if your fine w/ navigon thats great to here. This should help everyone out by reducing the outrageous prices they currently for TomTom, navigon, etc.
 
What happened to the HTC Hero, wasn't that the last iphone killer. I guess the new iphone killer of the week from Android is this phone.
 
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