Turn-by-turn navigation - Why?

[fabian9]

All,

I keep reading posts where people are requesting turn-by-turn navigation - I still fail to understand why this remains to be such a prevalent request. Hopefully this thread will answer some questions.

I've been using the iPhone GPS a lot in the last 3 months since I got it. The way I do this is I do a directions search so it shows me the blue line, i then tap on the button to track my location which zooms in to my current location and tracks where i'm going. (note that I don't press on the "Start" button since this would give me the useless next-previous buttons to tap through my journey)

The iPhone is mounted in my dashboard so that every time i look down to check my speed i can see immediately where I am or if any turns are coming up. I find that this works incredibly well for me and I don't see how it would be any less safe than looking at a turn-by-turn GPS mounted to my windscreen.

On the other hand, I find that turn-by-turn GPS systems can sometimes lead to quite dangerous situations. People depend on the given directions so much that they lose their common sense. Example: "Turn left at the next crossing." Issue was, there was a new round-about at the next crossing so by turning left "hey, thats what my GPS showed me!" the guy actually tried to go the wrong way around the round-about!!!

Yes, roads change! But general directions don't. So by just seeing in which direction I need to go (ie. next crossing i need to head leftish) i know where i need to go but i'm still having to think, which i believe is quite an important thing to do when driving...

So in all honesty, why do we really need turn-by-turn GPS?!

 

[dukebound85]

have you ever used a garmin or other gps device with turn by turn? They are very nice especially if they tell you what street to turn on and what distance over the speakers

The iphone imo needs an option to show the direction you are moving as up and not have it say move right if im moving east by chance

i dont really see why not have the iphone be used as a turn by turn gps device. would eliminate my need to have my garmin

 

[fabian9]

have you ever used a garmin or other gps device with turn by turn? They are very nice especially if they tell you what street to turn on and what distance over the speakers

The iphone imo needs an option to show the direction you are moving as up and not have it say move right if im moving east by chance

i dont really see why not have the iphone be used as a turn by turn gps device. would eliminate my need to have my garmin

I have used one before - and got annoyed by that voice that kept telling me to adhere to the speed limit.

In all honesty though, the iPhone GPS has so far got me everywhere I had to go quickly and safely (even in a ridiculously busy city as London), so I don't see a need for its core functionality to change.

There are other things about it that I would like to see improved, like storing maps on the device.

Fabian

 

[dukebound85]

I have used one before - and got annoyed by that voice that kept telling me to adhere to the speed limit.

In all honesty though, the iPhone GPS has so far got me everywhere I had to go quickly and safely (even in a ridiculously busy city as London), so I don't see a need for its core functionality to change.

There are other things about it that I would like to see improved, like storing maps on the device.

Fabian

the iphone is waaay more dangerous than a dedicated gps turn by turn as the direction you are going is not forward but rather by direction with north being up on the iphone.
does it work? sure but it leaves a lot to be desired before i use it for any serious road trips. its great for walking around and navigating if lost imo

however thats my opinion so take it as you will

 

[wayland1985]

I think your reasoning that Turn by turn is unsafe compared to Google Maps is wrong. Giving the same idiots who go down one-ways "guided" by their Turn by turn an iPhone wont help the problem. You need common sense to work both, so either way you'll still have stupid mistakes...


As for why turn by turn GPS is needed? Like the poster above said: because it should be. The iPhone is a very capable device. I like it because you can replace both a phone and an iPod in one neat package. Why can't I replace a GPS too? It has the hardware to at least be a moderately capable GPS...

And what about those times when you don't have any Data coverage. Google maps will be suddenly useless to you.


I just think turn by turn GPS should be implemented...

 

[fabian9]

I think your reasoning that Turn by turn is unsafe compared to Google Maps is wrong. Giving the same idiots who go down one-ways "guided" by their Turn by turn an iPhone wont help the problem. You need common sense to work both, so either way you'll still have stupid mistakes...


As for why turn by turn GPS is needed? Like the poster above said: because it should be. The iPhone is a very capable device. I like it because you can replace both a phone and an iPod in one neat package. Why can't I replace a GPS too? It has the hardware to at least be a moderately capable GPS...

And what about those times when you don't have any Data coverage. Google maps will be suddenly useless to you.


I just think turn by turn GPS should be implemented...

I entirely agree with your point about the data coverage, it would be good if the maps were to be stored locally. Although I have also used the GPS with no data coverage, the blue line was still there and the GPS was still connected so I still knew where I had to go. But still: definitely agree the maps should be stored locally.

About the other point you mention, if turn-by-turn for some reason can't be implemented (they've had almost a year at least of development and haven't done it - maybe it can't be done after all?), maybe they can rotate the map depending on the direction your heading to improve usability.

Fabian

 

[wayland1985]

I entirely agree with your point about the data coverage, it would be good if the maps were to be stored locally. Although I have also used the GPS with no data coverage, the blue line was still there and the GPS was still connected so I still knew where I had to go. But still: definitely agree the maps should be stored locally.

About the other point you mention, if turn-by-turn for some reason can't be implemented (they've had almost a year at least of development and haven't done it - maybe it can't be done after all?), maybe they can rotate the map depending on the direction your heading to improve usability.

Fabian

I believe the GPS solutions are just starting to come out. There's an application that covers some of the US right now. I'm sure in the coming months we'll see names like Garmin or TomTom following suit...

 

[dukebound85]

i think a good compromise on the local vs streaming issue is this

1) when you route a trip, store those specific maps locally and any side route, rely on 3g network

2) if no route planned, rely on 3g network for maps

 

[JadawinUK]

If you travel from the UK to Germany through France, Belgium and Luxembourgh, you don't want to pay data roaming costs for 10 hours. So us Europeans need a Turn-by-Turn-Software with ALL the maps saved on the iPhone and no data connection needed.

 

[Tokiopop]

Must be the UK/my area, but when in the car my little blue dot stays still for ages, then randomly jumps further along the road, except it's on the road, it's saying we're in the field next to the M1

 

[fabian9]

Must be the UK/my area, but when in the car my little blue dot stays still for ages, then randomly jumps further along the road, except it's on the road, it's saying we're in the field next to the M1

mhhh that sometimes happens to me if i'm somewhere in a very remote area... on bigger roads (and certainly motorways) it's very accurate for me.

 

[tsvb]

Google maps works just fine for me but it would be nice if they added some text to voice for us that don't want to look at the iPhone every minute or two. It's got to be coming and when it does it will be glorious.

 

[kas23]

Duke got it above, Google Maps would be much more useful if it wasn't always North-facing, but forward-facing. You get just mount you iPhone on your dash the way it is, you always have to know your orientation or you will make a wrong turn (or worse). Additionally, Google Maps doesn't re-route you if you get lost. If you make a wrong turn, you physically have to stop your car and enter in a new direction search.

And I wouldn't even necessarily want a voice to tell me exactly where I should go, but a series of chimes or dings would be fine enough to alert me that some kind of turn/change was coming up soon.

But, by far, the greatest reason why there should be TbT Gps is that there are many consumers who want it. Not every function is for everyone, but understanding that people may want something different than you is a very elementary life skill.

 

[thabronx31]

+ no celltowers, no maps. We was up in the mountains Xmas and we was floating. Seriously, being able to have maps on the phone would be a plus

 

[ayzee]

Its possible to get by using the google maps, but eventually i will have to get a TomTom if apple doesnt implement turn by turn by the next iPhone release.

 

[itsjustmeee]

Having Telenav on my Blackberry (I'm switching to an iPhone next week), I can say that it's much better than Google Maps. Having the voice alert you when it's time to merge into another freeway, re-routing for traffic, are just a few reasons.Telling right on the screen exactly how many miles you have to drive until you have to make a turn or change roads is huge too. The other big thing is a 3D view as opposed to a top view ... much nicer. I hear that Telenav is working on an app now. It cost about 9 dollars a month on the Blackberry for unlimited GPS and it's well worth it if you drive or travel a lot like I do.

 

[kas23]

Having Telenav on my Blackberry (I'm switching to an iPhone next week), I can say that it's much better than Google Maps. Having the voice alert you when it's time to merge into another freeway, re-routing for traffic, are just a few reasons.Telling right on the screen exactly how many miles you have to drive until you have to make a turn or change roads is huge too. The other big thing is a 3D view as opposed to a top view ... much nicer. I hear that Telenav is working on an app now. It cost about 9 dollars a month on the Blackberry for unlimited GPS and it's well worth it if you drive or travel a lot like I do.

Telenav can make an app, but Apple's likely going to castrate it to make it non-functional.

 

[tsvb]

Having Telenav on my Blackberry (I'm switching to an iPhone next week), I can say that it's much better than Google Maps. Having the voice alert you when it's time to merge into another freeway, re-routing for traffic, are just a few reasons.Telling right on the screen exactly how many miles you have to drive until you have to make a turn or change roads is huge too. The other big thing is a 3D view as opposed to a top view ... much nicer. I hear that Telenav is working on an app now. It cost about 9 dollars a month on the Blackberry for unlimited GPS and it's well worth it if you drive or travel a lot like I do.

I would love telenav come up with an app for the iPhone. As far as taking up space does apple have a restriction on how much space an app can use? It's your phone you should be able to use the space how you wish.

 

[Mad Mac]

Trying to justify looking at a screen with a little blue dot as being safer than having audible turn-by-turn is ridiculous.

Here's why the iPhone's "GPS" sucks:
1. Maps always point north.
2. No idea what the mileage scale is on the map. Easy to overshoot a turn unless you're constantly looking at the map.
3. No automatic re-routing due to detours, wrong turns, pit stops, etc.
4. No audible turn-by-turn to help keep your eyes on the road, warning of a turn coming up so you can merge into the proper lane, etc.
5. Most every other GPS phone has an audible turn-by-turn option. Verizon Nav, AT&T Nav, etc. Only the iPhone has a halfbaked solution. Why is there no option to have AT&T's audible GPS solution on the iPhone if Apple won't give us a proper app? Is this going to be like the "one button mouse" thing?

Here's why proper GPS is better:
1. Maps rotate so you always get your point of view. 3D maps are even better.
2. Automatic re-routing if you go off the original path.
3. Audible warnings that a turn is coming up in 500 feet, 100 feet, etc. helps you to prepare for a turn, get in the proper lane, etc.
4. The ability to choose different types of routes: use more freeways, city streets only, etc.

You can drive without ever taking your eyes off the road when you have audible turn-by-turn. This is far safer than having to constantly look down at a dot. I've used both and vastly prefer audible turn-by-turn. I should be able to have that option on the iPhone.

 

[Masquerade]

i tried to drive with iphone gps and so far i can tell that is a little dangerous and disapointing.
the problem is that you have to overlook the map in order to find out what direction you are going since the update ins't instantaneous..
the map itself don't rotate as you turn

so it sucks so much.. nokias and more are selling out phones with turn-by-turn navigation and we have to stick with maps, generosity of google inc.

 

[bbplayer5]

Its simply mind blowing why Apple is blocking Garmin and TomTom... Its really a horrible business move. Hopefully Apple wakes up.

 

[NightStorm]

Its simply mind blowing why Apple is blocking Garmin and TomTom... Its really a horrible business move. Hopefully Apple wakes up.

Do you have any proof that they are actually blocking their apps, other than a few random blog posts by people who have no direct connection with either company? I have not seen any official statements from either saying they have completed development and submitted their application to Apple only to have it rejected.

 

[bbplayer5]

Do you have any proof that they are actually blocking their apps, other than a few random blog posts by people who have no direct connection with either company? I have not seen any official statements from either saying they have completed development and submitted their application to Apple only to have it rejected.

The fact that the SDK says no turn-by-turn directions. That is called blocking. Both companies already have it working on the iPhone, Apple just wont let them market it.

What they should do it market it for jailbroken phones, and force Apple's hand to allow it.
I cant fathom why apple would block this... There is absolutely no reason to do so. AT&T might not want it because of data usage... But this is a joke because they could offer offline maps, with the programs download.

 

[fabian9]

well, apparently there now is a map app which has a rotating map.

unfortunately for some, it's only available for jailbroken iphones and it's called xGPS. I've downloaded it but haven't had a chance to play around with it yet... apparently it also stores maps locally though!

 

[SFStateStudent]

Not too big on turn-by-turn navigation, since it really requires that my iPhone be on the entire time that I'm driving; especially when I'm alone and having to look at the screen all the time. I just think it's too dangerous for me...