GPS not good enough for turn by turn??

[Ori]

I am very excited to get my Iphone 3G on Friday...(maybe), but I am very concerned now about the GPS.
I used to have a blackberry with built in GPS and was able to get turn by turn directions by using telenav. According to the review the GPS isn't good enough for this..!!??!
So, What about the TomTom software that is supposed to be heading our way for it?

If it has GPS and can track you live why can't GPS turn by turn be used?

I am confused.

 

[Jowl]

Yes, I was a bit concerned by this comment.

One of the previous comments was that GPS was very accurate.

 

[geeb]

Because no one has released turn by turn software for it yet.

The GPS is the best you can get....it is assisted by cell towers too (it is A-GPS or Assisted GPS).

All GPS is hobbled by the US military to a degree...it is not as accurate for civilians as it is for the military.

TomTom allegedly are designing turn by turn of course but there have been rumours of licensing issues with Apple.

 

[a456]

I am confused.

Me too. Takes a bit of shine off it. Maybe TomTom will have some antennae booster that you plug in the base of the iPhone - hence justifying a higher cost than a simple App.

 

[frosse]

I think its BS. Why would iPhone GPS antenna be smaller than any other phone's? I think its Apples way of saying that Google Maps isnt up to the task.

Tom Tom is our savior, without a doubt.

 

[barryallott]

It has been noted that TomTom has stopped development because Apple have said that no-one is allowed to make gps navigation software for the iphone at the moment.

 

[frosse]

Because no one has released turn by turn software for it yet.

The GPS is the best you can get....it is assisted by cell towers too (it is A-GPS or Assisted GPS).

All GPS is hobbled by the US military to a degree...it is not as accurate for civilians as it is for the military.

TomTom allegedly are designing turn by turn of course but there have been rumours of licensing issues with Apple.

Not true. You (and everyone else on this planet) got this all wrong. The SDK agreement regarding GPS navigation and positioning only applies to Google Maps API, not the GPS device itself.

So no worries

 

[Ori]

Not sure....

According to the review it's Apple who say it isn't good enough. I just don't see why?

What are the issues Apple has with TomTom? Unless Apple have one that they intend to release, I don't see what Apple has to lose? I know turn by turn GPS drains battery, but if you know that then it's not an issue.

I need turn by turn and part of my mental justification on buying the 3G was that I wouldn't need to buy another sat nav device. I didn't expect it at launch, but that review indicates that it just won't happen!

 

[geeb]

Look, GPS works by locking onto as many satellites as the unit can "see".

If you have 3 locked on, you have a pretty good fix.

The raw data is pretty basic:

$GPGGA,123519,4807.038,N,01131.000,E,1,08,0.9,545.4,M,46.9,M,,*47


If the software that compares that to a coordinate on a map is buggy, then it will be poor. Somehow i doubt it will be.

 

[poolish]

From the Apple website..?

"Get directions.
Get directions to wherever from wherever. View turn-by-turn directions or watch your progress with live GPS tracking. iPhone 3G even finds points of interest as you go: Search for “coffee” and iPhone shows you every cafe on your route."

 

[johnnyjibbs]

I think it'll be fine. Thankfully though, I can read a map, so there will be no need for turn-by-turn directions courtesy of GPS

From the Apple website..?

"Get directions.
Get directions to wherever from wherever. View turn-by-turn directions or watch your progress with live GPS tracking. iPhone 3G even finds points of interest as you go: Search for “coffee” and iPhone shows you every cafe on your route."

Good find. They even mention "turn by turn".

 

[Ori]

Not true. You (and everyone else on this planet) got this all wrong. The SDK agreement regarding GPS navigation and positioning only applies to Google Maps API, not the GPS device itself.

So no worries

I don't quite understand that statement. Either they can or they can't.

Why would apple want to stop GPS navigation software? Blackberry use it as a selling tool and include it for free now. (please no comments about they need to because the iphone is out....)

Have apple locked themselves into something with googlemaps?

 

[TonyHoyle]

All GPS is hobbled by the US military to a degree...it is not as accurate for civilians as it is for the military.

Selective Availability was switched off in 2000 and hasn't been switched on since (it was pretty much rendered pointless by DGPS/WAAS by then anyway).

 

[frosse]

I don't quite understand that statement. Either they can or they can't.

Why would apple want to stop GPS navigation software? Blackberry use it as a selling tool and include it for free now. (please no comments about they need to because the iphone is out....)

Have apple locked themselves into something with googlemaps?

No, listen.

When apple made their SDK agreement Google stepped in and added their own agreements for Google Maps. For some reason Google doesnt want anyone to build apps using their maps. For licensing I guess.

So the line where it says that GPS Positioning is not allowed for apps, it only applies to taking advantage of Google Maps.

 

[ubersalad]

From the Apple website..?

"Get directions.
Get directions to wherever from wherever. View turn-by-turn directions or watch your progress with live GPS tracking. iPhone 3G even finds points of interest as you go: Search for “coffee” and iPhone shows you every cafe on your route."

Donkeys...turn by turn navigation and what Apple is referring to as turn by turn directions on the website is different. Go to your google map right now using iPhone and click on directions, you see the so-called "turn by turn"? That's what Apple is referring to, and when you push the button on the bottom left for "find me" on iPhone 3G, it will use AGPS instead of cell tower and that's what they meant.

GPS for iPhone will be much better than existing method of tracking current location. But as far as using it as turn by turn navigation device similar to TomTom, everyone has confirmed that it isn't happening just yet.

 

[frosse]

Donkeys...turn by turn navigation and what Apple is referring to as turn by turn directions on the website is different. Go to your google map right now using iPhone and click on directions, you see the so-called "turn by turn"? That's what Apple is referring to, and when you push the button on the bottom left for "find me" on iPhone 3G, it will use AGPS instead of cell tower and that's what they meant.

GPS for iPhone will be much better than existing method of tracking current location. But as far as using it as turn by turn navigation device similar to TomTom, everyone has confirmed that it isn't happening just yet.

No they dont. In google maps you can get directions, with the current iphone/touch. If you pick a destination it draws you the route. Then, you can manually do turn-by-turn. This by pressing the arrows up in the right corner.

THATS what they mean.

 

[Ori]

Donkeys...turn by turn navigation and what Apple is referring to as turn by turn directions on the website is different. Go to your google map right now using iPhone and click on directions, you see the so-called "turn by turn"? That's what Apple is referring to, and when you push the button on the bottom left for "find me" on iPhone 3G, it will use AGPS instead of cell tower and that's what they meant.

GPS for iPhone will be much better than existing method of tracking current location. But as far as using it as turn by turn navigation device similar to TomTom, everyone has confirmed that it isn't happening just yet.

Exactly what I thought. This has really taken the shine off things for me.
Still don't understand why we can't have it though. I would pay $99 for the tom tom software if it actually worked!

-Tom Tom uses it's own maps.
-Telenav uses it's own maps.

 

[Ori]

No they dont. In google maps you can get directions, with the current iphone/touch. If you pick a destination it draws you the route. Then, you can manually do turn-by-turn. This by pressing the arrows up in the right corner.

THATS what they mean.

Which is still rubbish if you have ever used a proper nav system or even the telenav on the blackberry.

Own goal apple?

 

[ubersalad]

No they dont. In google maps you can get directions, with the current iphone/touch. If you pick a destination it draws you the route. Then, you can manually do turn-by-turn. This by pressing the arrows up in the right corner.

THATS what they mean.

I guess English is not your native language...

What you just said is EXACTLY what I am trying to say. Existing and new iPhone will perform the same so-called "turn by turn" direction, which is both done manually. AGPS is to replace the current method of locating current location using cell towers.

What everyone is asking on this thread is, will new iPhone perform like a Tom Tom, which will give you turn by turn navigation automatically without pushing any button.

 

[tallyho]

I guess English is not your native language...

What you just said is EXACTLY what I am trying to say.

Whoa there native language boy. He managed to write it much more clearly than you did ... So perhaps you shouldn't call other people "donkeys" ...

 

[frosse]

I guess English is not your native language...

What you just said is EXACTLY what I am trying to say. Existing and new iPhone will perform the same so-called "turn by turn" direction, which is both done manually. AGPS is to replace the current method of locating current location using cell towers.

What everyone is asking on this thread is, will new iPhone perform like a Tom Tom, which will give you turn by turn navigation automatically without pushing any button.

My bad.

Anyway. No one needs to worry about the SDK Agreement issue as it only applies to Google Maps. If TomTom build their own app it wont be using Google Maps.

 

[ubersalad]

Whoa there native language boy. He managed to write it much more clearly than you did ... So perhaps you shouldn't call other people "donkeys" ...

Whatever, it's 1:50am here.

 

[ubersalad]

My bad.

Anyway. No one needs to worry about the SDK Agreement issue as it only applies to Google Maps. If TomTom build their own app it wont be using Google Maps.

Question is then, how much battery will GPS drain? If you are trying to use it as a real-time GPS navigation device similar to TomTom, you will need to run it non-stop.

 

[tallyho]

Anyway, I think the problem is likely to be battery life rather than "the size of the antenna". My TomTom1 lasts about 2 hours unless it's plugged into my car's 12vDC socket, maintaining a constant lock on the satellite signal. The iPhone perhaps doesn't maintain a constant GPS fix.

 

[frosse]

Question is then, how much battery will GPS drain? If you are trying to use it as a real-time GPS navigation device similar to TomTom, you will need to run it non-stop.

It will prolly drain alot of battery, but if you use it in a car you really should plug it into the 12v.