Where is the long-awaited navigation app?

[raccoon]

Ever since I heard that the iPhone 3G would have GPS, I've been awaiting the launch of real 'turn by turn' navigation software.

Tom Tom announced in June that they had the software running on an iPhone 3G, and since then... silence. Even googling 'Tom Tom +iphone' only brings up stories from months ago. What's going on?

True turn-by-turn navigation (whether from Tom Tom or any other company) is for me and many others the 'killer app' for the iPhone 3G. I can't understand why it hasn't already been launched. Does anyone know why?

 

[robbieduncan]

It's still banned by the SDK agreement. Just like yesterday, the day before and every day since the SDK became available.

 

[MadGoat]

It's still banned by the SDK agreement. Just like yesterday, the day before and every day since the SDK became available.

how is it banned? the only limitation is to not use google maps for real time navigation. There's no mention of using your own maps for real time navigation being banned.

edit: not that I want a real turn by turn in my iPhone, I would rather use a a good GPS that won't die after a couple of hours even while plugged in to the lighter outlet cause it can't charge fast enough, or gets too hot and shuts down.

 

[robbieduncan]

how is it banned? the only limitation is to not use google maps for real time navigation. There's no mention of using your own maps for real time navigation.

No the limitation, as stated in the agreement is that "Applications may not be designed or marketed for real time route guidance;". No mention of Google maps. No real time guidance of any form at all. Please research your facts before posting.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

No the limitation, as stated in the agreement is that "Applications may not be designed or marketed for real time route guidance;". No mention of Google maps. No real time guidance of any form at all. Please research your facts before posting.

I don't have any links, but I could have SWORN that we had a statement from apple that it was allowed though.

 

[robbieduncan]

I don't have any links, but I could have SWORN that we had a statement from apple that it was allowed though.

That is the exact text as in the SDK agreement as currently live on the iPhone Developer Portal. Unless they change the agreement or make an exception for one app it's not happening.

 

[cellocello]

I suspect once everything settles down, and the iPhone becomes all good and stable we will see some sort of Apple sanctioned software+hardware GPS kit for the iPhone.

I wouldn't expect it this year, however. Next year in the Spring sounds pretty good though; if only Apple had an event around that time ....

 

[bluenoise]

I don't have any links, but I could have SWORN that we had a statement from apple that it was allowed though.

Maybe you're thinking of this?

 

[hexonxonx]

Tom Tom has more or less stated that they such an app ready and they are just waiting for Apple. Likely this means when Apple allows such apps to be sold in the store. Both Tom Tom and Garmin have apps made that work with the iPhone but can't do a thing with them till Apple says so.

 

[Bitmap Frog]

Has apple bothered to explain why it's keeping this kind of apps banned?

 

[hexonxonx]

Has apple bothered to explain why it's keeping this kind of apps banned?

Of course not. They would never say. It was rumored that Apple wants to be the first to develop an app like this but then again, it's been rumored that flash and MMS are coming to the iPhone since almost the beginning.

 

[kdarling]

Tom Tom has more or less stated that they such an app ready and they are just waiting for Apple.

All that a TomTom spokesman (Yann Lafargue) said unofficially, was this (auto-translated from French):

Is there among TomTom Navigator software compatible with the iPhone?

Yes. Once the development kit was available, some of our engineers have tried to transpose the Navigator on the iPhone. And the first tests showed that it worked rather well.

(Which indicates they simply played around a bit with the core code on the simulator. This is what was later reported as "TomTom has the app and is ready to sell.")

Is a marketing is planned and when?

On this point, it is still too early to come forward. What is certain is that we have a solution whose tests have proved inconclusive. We must now see to what extent it can be started. It should not be such that finalized a product to be ultimately prohibit access to App Store because Apple has decided to propose its own software or putting forward one by one of their partners.

In general, Apple has so far worked with more Americans than Europeans, prompting a caution. There is a whole set of things to confirm before talking about marketing.

Are the restrictions on the use of a GPS application that we saw in the license agreement of the iPhone SDK can be an obstacle?

No, Apple is simply trying to protect themselves in case a customer having a problem with its iPhone and a navigation application's intention to attack.

(I love the translation there. Attack??)

 

[samab]

Has apple bothered to explain why it's keeping this kind of apps banned?

Apple is not banning the apps.

There are 2 map makers in the world (TomTom bought one, and Nokia bought the second one). The map makers charges 2 different prices for maps --- a really high price for turn-by-turn navigation and a low price for general use.

Google paid the cheap price for the map data that they use in Google Maps. The cheap price doesn't allow Google to use the map data for turn-by-turn navigation purposes (so the Google Map license has wordings that specifically disallow this use).

Apple's iphone location-based API uses the Google maps --- so Apple's SDK license (clause 3.3.7) also disallow this use WHEN you use Apple's location-based API.

Any third party software maker can make a turn-by-turn navigation app --- if they use their own API to pull their own maps (in which they have to pay a lot of money to TomTom or Nokia).

TomTom --- the owner of the map maker --- can do whatever they want when they use their own API and their own map data. But they have disagreements with the iphone app revenue sharing --- because all the turn-by-turn navigation software basically comes with monthly subscription for map updates and live traffic reports. TomTom doesn't want to pay Apple 30% of the monthly subscription fee. Therefore no turn-by-turn navigation software right now.

 

[Sean Dempsey]

Ever since I heard that the iPhone 3G would have GPS, I've been awaiting the launch of real 'turn by turn' navigation software.

Tom Tom announced in June that they had the software running on an iPhone 3G, and since then... silence. Even googling 'Tom Tom +iphone' only brings up stories from months ago. What's going on?

True turn-by-turn navigation (whether from Tom Tom or any other company) is for me and many others the 'killer app' for the iPhone 3G. I can't understand why it hasn't already been launched. Does anyone know why?

Because turn by turn navigation on the iphone would suck.


I try to have my phone on my dash mount and use the speaker phone, and I can barley hear the other person, not enough to understand them. The little speaker just isn't loud enough to cover road noise, air conditioning, or even the distance from the dash to my ear.

I can only imagine that a nav voice would be worse. Unless you like, duct tape the iphone to the bill of your hat so you can see and hear it, it would be basically unusable. And, what happens when you get a call, are you going to unmount your iphone from your dash, and put it up to your ear to talk? How will you get directions? You just ignore calls when you are in the middle of a busy city trying to find where you are going? What if you need to be on the phone giving the person behind you directions as you look at your navigation? Hell, what if you want music while you are getting your directions?!



IMO, it's not an app that would EVER satisfy the people who want it. I don't think that TomTom could ever deliver with the iphones physical limitations.

If you can answer how I find my way around San Diego with turn by turn directions, and also talk to the people behind me who need my help, I might consider it a good app. Or, if you can answer how I can receive and take a phone call, and at the same time get directions, I'd consider it.

Fact is - every time I'm in a new city or whatever, I am often on my phone going "Okay, so the Costco on 5th street, or the one over here near Palisades? Which one are you at? Okay I'm on...hang on" hangs up iphone, looks at map, calls person back "I'm on Franklin Ave. Wait crap, I can't see my map because the phone is against my face and the speakerphone is too weak to use on the dashboard where I can see the map."


Get over it guys. It's *never* gonna happen. And if it does, it will suck so bad all the fanboy buttholes will pucker so fast you'd think they just turned on the Large Hadron Collider.

Turn by turn navigation is something that needs to be a dedicated machine. I don't want to be trying to find somwhere in San Diego and have my phone totally relegated to being the nav. I can't search for a website, a phone number, I cant text my friend I am trying to meet, I can't make calls, I can't do anything because I have to leave the frickin iphone where I can see and hear it and follow it's directions.

 

[samab]

If you can answer how I find my way around San Diego with turn by turn directions, and also talk to the people behind me who need my help, I might consider it a good app. Or, if you can answer how I can receive and take a phone call, and at the same time get directions, I'd consider it.

Fact is - every time I'm in a new city or whatever, I am often on my phone going "Okay, so the Costco on 5th street, or the one over here near Palisades? Which one are you at? Okay I'm on...hang on" hangs up iphone, looks at map, calls person back "I'm on Franklin Ave. Wait crap, I can't see my map because the phone is against my face and the speakerphone is too weak to use on the dashboard where I can see the map."

Get over it guys. It's *never* gonna happen. And if it does, it will suck so bad all the fanboy buttholes will pucker so fast you'd think they just turned on the Large Hadron Collider.

Turn by turn navigation is something that needs to be a dedicated machine. I don't want to be trying to find somwhere in San Diego and have my phone totally relegated to being the nav. I can't search for a website, a phone number, I cant text my friend I am trying to meet, I can't make calls, I can't do anything because I have to leave the frickin iphone where I can see and hear it and follow it's directions.

What you don't want to add the list so that you would be able to SMS /email between stop lights?

Turn-by-turn navigation has been available to most basic feature phone for 2 years now. This is a 2+ year old video of how Verizon's navigator software works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yurqFgTIm3c

There is nothing wrong with navigation apps. There is problems with your driving habits.

 

[bluenoise]

Because turn by turn navigation on the iphone would suck.


I try to have my phone on my dash mount and use the speaker phone, and I can barley hear the other person, not enough to understand them. The little speaker just isn't loud enough to cover road noise, air conditioning, or even the distance from the dash to my ear.

I can only imagine that a nav voice would be worse. Unless you like, duct tape the iphone to the bill of your hat so you can see and hear it, it would be basically unusable. And, what happens when you get a call, are you going to unmount your iphone from your dash, and put it up to your ear to talk? How will you get directions? You just ignore calls when you are in the middle of a busy city trying to find where you are going? What if you need to be on the phone giving the person behind you directions as you look at your navigation? Hell, what if you want music while you are getting your directions?!



IMO, it's not an app that would EVER satisfy the people who want it. I don't think that TomTom could ever deliver with the iphones physical limitations.

If you can answer how I find my way around San Diego with turn by turn directions, and also talk to the people behind me who need my help, I might consider it a good app. Or, if you can answer how I can receive and take a phone call, and at the same time get directions, I'd consider it.

Fact is - every time I'm in a new city or whatever, I am often on my phone going "Okay, so the Costco on 5th street, or the one over here near Palisades? Which one are you at? Okay I'm on...hang on" hangs up iphone, looks at map, calls person back "I'm on Franklin Ave. Wait crap, I can't see my map because the phone is against my face and the speakerphone is too weak to use on the dashboard where I can see the map."


Get over it guys. It's *never* gonna happen. And if it does, it will suck so bad all the fanboy buttholes will pucker so fast you'd think they just turned on the Large Hadron Collider.

Turn by turn navigation is something that needs to be a dedicated machine. I don't want to be trying to find somwhere in San Diego and have my phone totally relegated to being the nav. I can't search for a website, a phone number, I cant text my friend I am trying to meet, I can't make calls, I can't do anything because I have to leave the frickin iphone where I can see and hear it and follow it's directions.

I'm guessing the TBT voice would be fed through the headphones just like the phone calls and iPod are. Here in CA with our handsfree law, there are many driving around with their iPhone headphones on, or at least one ear, so they have handsfree. That would be clearly audible.

 

[kdarling]

It depends on the phone and its OS. IIRC...

• VZNavigator suspends navigation while you're on a call.
  
• The iPhone would have to do the same, since apps must exit when you get a call. You could start it again manually.
  
• TomTom on WM devices continue to display navigation directions when a call or SMS comes in, since background apps are allowed.

 

[w4rmk]

Yup really sucks, I had TomTom on my HTC Tilt with the entire US map set before I got the iPhone 3G and used it all the time and it worked just as good as a standalone GPS unit. Apple needs to get their act together and either update Google Maps to support turn-by-turn spoken directions or reach out to a company like TomTom or Garmin.