iPhone 3G GPS Capabilities

[jimmyroot]

Hi all, just wanted to start off this thread to try and clear a few things up about the new iPhone's GPS abilities. The product is marketed as featuring Assisted GPS; myself and others assumed from that fact that if need be the iPhone could function as a normal GPS device. See this amusing post from Gizmodo

However after reading several conflicting rumors I'm a bit unclear on exactly what we're going to be able to do with the GPS on the new iPhone, specifically the rumors pointing out the clause in the SDK guidelines that prohibits developers from creating applications for real time route tracking.

Quick location fixing and map browsing with Google maps is all well and good, but it's not going to beat a proper GPS applications, ala TomTom, when it comes to providing point to point GPS functionality, making the inclusion of GPS, well, a bit pointless really.

So what are people's thoughts? Are we going to see a final version of TomTom's software for the iPhone? Or if not, are Apple perhaps hiding something up their sleeve in the way of real GPS functionality built into Google Maps? Most certainly wishful thinking.

So what's everyone thinking? Was a GPS chip only included in the new iPhone so that Apple could tick the box off at WWDC and enhance Google Maps' location feature? Or are we going to see some real time tracking, full featured GPS applications popping up in the iTunes store?

Post your valued musings

 

[DenniZ]

Hmm, I though you weren't allowed real time guidance from google maps, otherwise it would be fine. There was a post on engadget saying it was only google maps being strict about real time guidance.

 

[jimmyroot]

Just read that post on engadget, it does indeed seem to say that. Would be something of a deal breaker otherwise. I hope they're right.

 

[DenniZ]

Also, the TomTom software apparently isn't ready, it works but not ready. We'll wait and see what the App Store has to offer

 

[ripkord]

yeah, as I said on one of the other 4billion threads about this ( ) dont worry, why would they include GPS if they didnt want us to have something like tomtom, the current iphone can find local services etc based on cell phone tower - this is the logical next step. Relax

 

[Bernie-Mac]

From what I understand it uses GPS and gives you turn by turn directions but in google maps, kinda like it does now except not in real time, i dont think Apple is allowing a 3rd party GPS system that talks to you but i could be wrong

:edit: jk, after watching the video on apple, it seems right now in the 3g iPhone google maps can only pinpoint your exact locations and tell you how to get to where you want to go like it does now. If pinpointing your exact location is the only benefit of having GPS in the new iPhone then im pretty disappointed

 

[cmiller2687]

A major company like tomtom wouldn't spend all that money developing an application that would be disallowed on the iphone. Like engadget said, you are only restricted from using Google maps for real time directions. Meaning that tomtom just has to use it's own maps to direct you. And since games have sound incorporated, I don't see why a GPS program wouldn't.

 

[jimmyroot]

Yeah that was my line of thinking. Although on the other side of the coin, I can't really see a company like TomTom investing time into porting their app to the iPhone if they didn't think there was a realistic chance of being able to release it.

Anyway who am I kidding, it's not gonna stop me buying the new iPhone when it comes out anyway.

 

[Solesk]

my big questions, is if you cant use google maps for real time directions, and apps have a 2gb total limit. (for all apps). where is tomtom going to store downloaded maps?

 

[skubish]

my big questions, is if you cant use google maps for real time directions, and apps have a 2gb total limit. (for all apps). where is tomtom going to store downloaded maps?

Possible that TomTom could license the maps from google. They could always put the maps on the iPhone but it would take up a lot of space.

 

[kdarling]

Possible that TomTom could license the maps from google. They could always put the maps on the iPhone but it would take up a lot of space.

1) TomTom BOUGHT the map company (TeleAtlas) that Google uses for mobile clients.

2) The SDK wording is similar to the Google Maps wording, yes. All that means for sure, is that Apple's lawyers copied parts from Google.

3) TomTom's developers played around with porting it to the iPhone and got a test piece running. That's ALL they've claimed. Everything else has been reporter fantasy. There's no firm project that anyone knows of yet. This is very similar to the Adobe guys trying a test compile for the Flash player.

4) The TomTom app and data for North America is under 2GB, I believe.