Google Maps Navigation Available for Android. May come to iPhone if Apple Approves

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Yesterday, Google launched Google Maps Navigation for the Android 2.0. Google Maps Navigation enables turn-by-turn GPS navigation for free. This product is going to change the landscape for GPS navigation companies. Garmin and Tom Tom’s stock price fell 16.4% and 20.8% respectively on 10/28, after the release of this industry changing news.

Google’s navigator is no half baked app. It has most of what you’d expect for a navigation device plus more. With Google Maps Navigation, users can:

Search in plain English – quickly search and navigate to places, businesses, landmarks
Search by voice- Google has invested heavily in voice search. Now see them in action on Google Maps Navigation
Live traffic data over the Internet- An integration with what’s already available on Google Maps
Search along route – find locations near your current path
Satellite view – Satellite imagery on Google Maps will now be implemented on your navigation screen. Cool!
Street View – Only possible with Google. Check out what the exact surroundings of a location look like
Car dock mode – when your device is in a car dock, a special mode activates that enables easier operation

Google has invested heavily in map applications. By applying their unique technologies to GPS navigation. They have an edge over all the other competitors in this space. Unlike their competitors, Google will not charge for its app. Instead, Google will try to implement a ad supported model for its Google Maps Navigation app.

Will it ever come to the iPhone? Google says that it is working closely with Apple to bring Google Maps to the iPhone. It is really up to Apple to decide if it is allowed on the iPhone. But by looking at recent tensions between Google and Apple, bringing Google Maps Navigation to the iPhone may not be a sure thing. Afterall, Apple is making a lot of money from its paid navigation apps. Furthermore, recent rejections by Apple over Google’s Latitude and Google Voice app does not help the case that Google Maps Navigation will come to the iPhone anytime soon.

For iPhone users considering purchasing a navigator app in the App Store, this news may be a cause for dilemma. If you really need a navigator app now, you may still want to buy a navigator app such as Navigon Mobile Navigator. But if you are not in a hurry, you can choose to wait it out and see if Google Maps Navigation will be able to make its way to the iPhone.