Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
GPS Apps = Not Cheap
- Thread starter Tunnelrunner
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Well you will have options. This one will cost $25. Not bad if they can upgrade their database.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urwfnMZmrs4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urwfnMZmrs4
Sean, the PR rep from X-Road/G-Map sent me this reply on Monday June 15 (gotta love 3.0 copy and paste!!!):
"We will be launching the updated version within a week hopefully earlier than Navigon.* Thanks."
Well...they didn't beat Navigon Europe or Gokivo to the App Store but we should still expect the app to be here next week (?) - around the same time Navigon US Version arrives.
"We will be launching the updated version within a week hopefully earlier than Navigon.* Thanks."
Well...they didn't beat Navigon Europe or Gokivo to the App Store but we should still expect the app to be here next week (?) - around the same time Navigon US Version arrives.
Google can never offer free TBT on google maps because Google has to get the maps from the world's only 2 map makers.
The map makers charge 2 different prices --- a cheap licensing fee for maps for non-navigation purposes and a very expensive licensing fee for the same maps for navigation purposes.
I'll just buy G-Map. It's $25. I would pay $100 for GPS on the iPhone, even it was manufactured by Jesus Christ himself. It's likely going to be laggy at some times and/or it's going to kick you out at times (when you get a call). Besides, as someone else has pointed out, you can get a very basic unit (no frills) under $100.
Another point, for the OP, why would G-Maps have to increase their prices to be competitive? I think they are very, very compeititive at this price.
Yeah, you're right -- lower price = more competitive. I knew I had worded that wrong after proof-reading it yesterday but was too lazy to edit it.
I just figured they would want to make A LITTLE more profit seeing as how their competition (TomTom and Navigon) are asking for significantly more $ than they are. Although the low competitive pricing may actually lead to more G-Map sales and thus more profit that way. By underselling everyone else, G-Map might actually end up OUTSELLING everyone else but only *if* their 3.0-ready app is of comparable quality to TomTom/Navigon. From what little we've seen so far (the Tap Critic video), I would say it will be. We shall see...
G-map have to fix their app if they want to compete. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean that people will buy it. The current version of g-map is very lacking. It won't name some streets. The gps takes too long to locate you on the map. It's POI database is very skinny, it won't show a post office around me when I search for it. If they fix these problems they may just be the app to beat. I will predict one thing, they will raise their price.
You have to buy a car anyway, so it's just the cost of the add on option for the navigation system itself.
Not sure thats really the cost effective option.
Why? Keep a car for 10 years with no monthly charge or pay $1,200 for a 10 year subscription at $10/month.
Or buy a unit for $100, once.
Built-in nav systems are a waste of time. They cost about four times as much to update, and for what? Bigger screen?
Your solution is only suitable if your car is on its last legs, or you are already looking to get a new car. Of the 40 million iPhone users, I'd bet maybe 1 million are currently car shopping. And of those 1 million, maybe 100,000 are thinking about getting a TBT app for their device.
Yeah, but standalone GPS devices are considerably more expensive. I still think these are more convinient
What I'd like to see is country packs for Navigon.
As it is now, it's almost 2gb of an app with most of europe.
You normally only need 1-2 countries (normally 1, but 2 if you live near the border!) and you plan a trip you could download the map of that country.
It will save money, space and time to install.
As it is now, it's almost 2gb of an app with most of europe.
You normally only need 1-2 countries (normally 1, but 2 if you live near the border!) and you plan a trip you could download the map of that country.
It will save money, space and time to install.
Not only that, but he makes these onboard units sound cheap or free with the purchase of a new car. Far from it. These are usually available in option packages that are $600-800 in price (or more). But, they are very nice.
The price points were said to be around $100. This is no surprise to me nor is the space it requires. Be careful what you ask for folks ... Be careful what you ask for.
Kas23 if you believe this makes on-board units sound cheap, I question which auto maker you're referrering to and your actual experience in buying because you couldn't be more wrong.
Kas23 if you believe this makes on-board units sound cheap, I question which auto maker you're referrering to and your actual experience in buying because you couldn't be more wrong.
I think you're going to be dissapointed if you're expecting it to be that price, I can't see it being much different in price to the Navigon
I just tested this app and quite honestly I don't like it.
The arrow doesn't update often (you may drive for 5-6 seconds before the arrow even moves), and It takes too long to recalculate the route.
I think I will wait for Tomtom before I buy a GPS tbt app.
The arrow doesn't update often (you may drive for 5-6 seconds before the arrow even moves), and It takes too long to recalculate the route.
I think I will wait for Tomtom before I buy a GPS tbt app.
Yeah when I bought Garmin Navigator for my Blackberry, it was $99 and the maps didn't even download to the phone.
These apps are not cheap at all.
I agree. You can get closeout/discontinued TomTom models for that price but not a new, current model. Right now the cheapest TomTom on NewEgg is $98. The cheapest on Tiger Direct is $78.
People have to remember that they're going to be buying this software from the manufacturer. This isn't a dealer marking down the prices to compete with someone else. Manufacturers charge full retail price to sell their own products. The price of the TomTom will be very similar to Navigon. Think of this like Apple's MobileMe service. I can buy it from Apple for $99 or I can do my homework and get it for less than $50 elsewhere. In this case there won't be anywhere else to go.
Heh, on the car I just ordered it was a $2000 option. I could rock Navigon for 16.6 years at their monthly fee of $10 for that price. And, I'm just thinking here, but I think 16 years is longer then the life of that average car.
I agree with those who say that TomTom will be in the $89 - $100 range. I would find it hard to justify that price when I might decide to get a different cell phone next year. I will probably use iPhones for a long time, but something else might possibly tempt me next year (like the Pre on AT&T?).
I wouldn't really like having that much more money invested in a device that I consider somewhat disposable (well, not exactly disposable...more like sell and switch to something else!) It's not like the money for the GPS software is transferrable to someone else when you sell because the purchases on the iPHone are tied to your iTunes account.
I wouldn't really like having that much more money invested in a device that I consider somewhat disposable (well, not exactly disposable...more like sell and switch to something else!) It's not like the money for the GPS software is transferrable to someone else when you sell because the purchases on the iPHone are tied to your iTunes account.
no indication
i don't think google is going in this direction on ANY platform, but if they did it would probably be on the android first. But there are NO signs of that at all, and they don't have the TBT engine anywhere at all yet.
i don't think google is going in this direction on ANY platform, but if they did it would probably be on the android first. But there are NO signs of that at all, and they don't have the TBT engine anywhere at all yet.