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Sygic's "Car Navigation: GPS & Maps" iOS app has updated to support CarPlay today. Sygic's app has a long history on the iOS App Store as one of the first GPS navigation apps available to download on the iPhone.

sygic-car-navigation-carplay.jpg

With CarPlay support, Sygic Car Navigation on iOS [Direct Link] connects to a car's infotainment system, projecting Sygic's turn-by-turn directions onto a car's screen. Drivers can control Sygic Car Navigation features through steering wheel buttons and touch screen controls, if they are signed up for the company's Premium plans.

Downloading the app is free, but after a seven day free trial, users will have to pay for one of a handful of bundles to acquire a license to use the app. The Premium lifetime licenses included features like offline maps, speed limits, voice-guided navigation, fuel prices, lane guidance, route sharing, traffic information, and more. Prices for North American bundles range from $13.99 for "basic" to $74.99 for "connected."

At WWDC in June, Apple announced that third-party navigation apps would be able to work with CarPlay this year, finally opening up CarPlay navigation to more than just Apple Maps. Following the announcement, CarPlay support rolled out for both Waze and Google Maps in September, and AutoNavi followed in China a few weeks ago. Sygic's app is the latest addition to this list.

Article Link: Sygic's 'Car Navigation: GPS & Maps' iOS App Introduces CarPlay Support
 
Last edited:

Xenomorph

macrumors 65816
Aug 6, 2008
1,397
829
St. Louis
You know, I was going to defend Sygic, as I kinda like their interface (it is much smoother than some other GPS apps, like the now-removed Navigon, and it works a lot better on older devices), until I noticed that this is NOT their main GPS app.

They already had a GPS app, and charged a ton for the maps. Then they came out with another GPS app, and charge a ton for the same maps.

This other GPS app gets CarPlay update, but not their other(s). Why not update the other GPS app(s) that people already paid for?

I was excited to try out Sygic GPS in my car until I found out that I have the "wrong" one.

I have Sygic's "GPS Navigation & Maps", and they added CarPlay to "Navigation GPS & Maps"
 

Narcaz

macrumors 6502
Jul 18, 2013
419
558
How does this company stay in business? There are so many good free options like Apple Maps and Google Maps for navigation. I looked into using this with a car without CarPlay and couldn't believe how expensive it was for the entire US maps.

Most people are better off with Apple/Google Maps or Waze, but they are still missing a few key features. Sygic can get away with their old-school interface and prices, because there is still a need in certain countries for real offline maps. E.g. Europe has a surprisingly high number of areas with barely any 3g/lte coverage. In addition to that it offers multiple destinations, radar trap alert and a few other nifty things for people, who drive regularly long distances. And by now there is barely any alternative. Navigon is gone, TomTom switched to a subscription model and HereMaps is lagging behind (and datamining).
 

Xaero182

macrumors newbie
May 7, 2009
5
4

MozMan68

macrumors demi-god
Jun 29, 2010
6,049
5,119
South Cackalacky
But Google offers offline support...I used it when traveling in Sweden for work and didn't want to use my data plan. Worked just fine even if it didn't offer some of the features with online maps.
 
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one more

macrumors 601
Aug 6, 2015
4,438
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Earth
3D offline maps are gonna be heavy on storage, when TomTom shifted their offline maps from 2D to 3D the app size grew from 2 GB to 6 GB for the same area!
[doublepost=1539359512][/doublepost]
And by now there is barely any alternative. Navigon is gone, TomTom switched to a subscription model and HereMaps is lagging behind (and datamining).

Check out maps.me, it is free and their online/offline maps are very accurate down to the building numbers. You can also download just a particular area, similar to Google.
 

beanbaguk

macrumors 65816
Mar 19, 2014
1,337
2,340
Europe
I'm guessing those trashing Sygic simply have not used it. It's not a junk app.

I travel frequently so having offline maps is a blessing. For example I was recently in Malaysia and South America and using the usual suspects would have cost me $100's in data costs. With Sygic, I just prepared ahead and downloaded the navigation maps for the countries I was in. I immediately then have driving and walking navigation (which is also brilliant for taxi rides in unknown cities).

I also find their lane navigation far superior to Google and Apple.
[doublepost=1539359914][/doublepost]
MR needs to put “Sponsored Post” or something to that effect when they’re clearly being paid shills for a product.

How did you work out it's a sponsored post? It's nothing of the sort!!!! Check the links. There is no affiliate ID on any of them, and I rather like the fact that MR have highlighted this change for me. It's industry news.

Seriously people....a little common sense.....
 

davey0

macrumors member
Aug 12, 2006
50
10
I just bought the wrong version (purchased lifetime)! It never occurred to me that they would have two different GPS apps. This sucks!


You know, I was going to defend Sygic, as I kinda like their interface (it is much smoother than some other GPS apps, like the now-removed Navigon, and it works a lot better on older devices), until I noticed that this is NOT their main GPS app.

They already had a GPS app, and charged a ton for the maps. Then they came out with another GPS app, and charge a ton for the same maps.

This other GPS app gets CarPlay update, but not their other(s). Why not update the other GPS app(s) that people already paid for?

I was excited to try out Sygic GPS in my car until I found out that I have the "wrong" one.

I have Sygic's "GPS Navigation & Maps", and they added CarPlay to "Navigation GPS & Maps"
 

Narcaz

macrumors 6502
Jul 18, 2013
419
558
I just bought the wrong version (purchased lifetime)! It never occurred to me that they would have two different GPS apps. This sucks!

I guess the GPS version will have it soon too. Their promo teaser of Carplay shows the GPS App with the newer interface:


3D offline maps are gonna be heavy on storage, when TomTom shifted their offline maps from 2D to 3D the app size grew from 2 GB to 6 GB for the same area!
[doublepost=1539359512][/doublepost]

Check out maps.me, it is free and their online/offline maps are very accurate down to the building numbers. You can also download just a particular area, similar to Google.

I have it already. I will try their navigation again, last time i used it the interface felt more appropriate for walking/bicycle use.
 

newtestleper

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2013
554
860
I use Sygic for its offline maps (on a pay-as-you-go plan). No complaints. Even has speed limits and warnings for speed limit changes up ahead, neither of which Google Maps has. Also has a built-in dash cam option, but that I will trash because the video quality is poor, even on the optimal settings.
 
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Analog Kid

macrumors G3
Mar 4, 2003
8,785
11,170
I was wondering the same thing. Why would ANYONE buy this?

Different people have different sensitivities to price depending on how important the functionality is to them. I travel enough internationally that having a reliable worldwide offline map is worth the cost. When I get to the street I may not have cell service in that country, service may not be reliable, I may not have planned ahead to download the maps when I had internet access, my plans may have changed on short notice...

Whatever the situation, I want to be sure I can get where I need to without first having to hunt for signal. A small price for peace of mind.
 
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neuropsychguy

macrumors 68020
Sep 29, 2008
2,327
5,459
How does this company stay in business? There are so many good free options like Apple Maps and Google Maps for navigation. I looked into using this with a car without CarPlay and couldn't believe how expensive it was for the entire US maps.
Do you have access to entire state and/or country offline maps for Apple Maps and Google Maps? I have Sygic's app ready to use when traveling within or outside the U.S. Most of the time I can get by with Apple's or Google's solutions but there have been a number of times when I was outside the range of cell coverage in rural locations. The small promo fee I paid a few years ago is well worth it to keep me from getting lost if I need to change my route and I'm out of cell coverage.

Or, I could switch to Verizon or AT&T and have wider cell coverage. How much would that cost me? Easily $20-$50 more per month over my current plan. The small price I paid for Sygic's app + a maps update IAP is way less than what it would cost to have wider cell coverage. Until Apple and Google offer full offline use, apps like Sygic will always be important for those who travel outside the U.S. or to more remote areas within the U.S.
 

nutmac

macrumors 603
Mar 30, 2004
6,039
7,282
How does this company stay in business? There are so many good free options like Apple Maps and Google Maps for navigation. I looked into using this with a car without CarPlay and couldn't believe how expensive it was for the entire US maps.
Even big dogs like Garmin and TomTom exited the market. They only offer specialized apps now. Between Apple Maps and Google Maps (and Google Waze), there's really no room for additional players.
 

Dranix

macrumors 65816
Feb 26, 2011
1,059
542
left the forum
Even big dogs like Garmin and TomTom exited the market. They only offer specialized apps now. Between Apple Maps and Google Maps (and Google Waze), there's really no room for additional players.

Simply - By people like me. I hate Google and would kill myself before using any of their datamining products. Apple Maps sadly sucks at routing and has no offline maps...
 

ikir

macrumors 68020
Sep 26, 2007
2,123
2,270
Why the hate? I usually use Apple Maps, but I had NAVIGON (now killed) and offline, autovelox and classic GPSS can be handy sometimes. Sygic is usually cheap and complete, my father use it since many years
 
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justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
9,745
I'm a rolling stone.
Even big dogs like Garmin and TomTom exited the market. They only offer specialized apps now. Between Apple Maps and Google Maps (and Google Waze), there's really no room for additional players.

Yes there is, I for many years didn't have a data plan, I have Wifi in the house and on my job which is less than 10 minutes from here so no need for data yet when I do go somewhere I want offline reliable Maps, this is what sygic gives me.
And I paid very little for it.
 

rbarnett

macrumors newbie
Nov 10, 2017
6
8
Georgia, USA
It appears that this app has value in a niche market and writing about it was not a sin but maybe more readers would understand this if it were better explained in the article.
 
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