Since the day I first got my iPhone, the maps feature has taunted me. It can find businesses, identify locations unknown to me, visualize traffic and give decent directions. More recently, even my original iPhone can figure out where I am within a reasonable distance without any GPS. But there’s one thing Maps doesn’t do, and with the GPS built into the iPhone 3G, it’s a big deal. It doesn’t do turn-by-turn voice prompted directions.
When GPS was announced as a feature, the picture instantly in everyone’s mind was that of the iPhone 3G in the car directing you around town, speaking every direction along the way. Needless to say, I was a little let down when I found out this was not what GPS was for. GPS only allows you to find your location accurately, and use that information in creative ways. But the omission of true GPS navigation may soon be filled.
Forbes has an article that says TeleNav is readying the GPS software many iPhone 3G users are dying to get their hands on. And, you reportedly won’t have to wait too long since they plan on releasing this app in the coming months.
The details, other than it being a GPS navigation app, are scarce.
Apple being Apple, the iPhone app will have some additional flair, says Sal Dhanani, TeleNav’s senior director of marketing. “It will be cooler, have more pizazz,” he promises.
The app should have turn-by-turn voice prompts, 3D mapping, and will have features similar to the app developed by TeleNav for the Samsung Instinct.
I personally wish that Apple would add voice prompts to the Maps application. This would be the ideal solution for me. The Maps app already has all of the other features that I need. All the iPhone needs to do for me is speak the directions it gets from Goodle Maps at the appropriate time.
Will you be buying TeleNav’s GPS app? Would you still buy it if Apple were to add voice prompts to Maps? Let us know in the comments.
Via [Forbes]
Does anyone know if TeleNav's app will be a one-time purchase (i.e. through the Apple App Store) or a subscription service through AT&T;(for, say, $10/month like VZNavigator with Verizon)?
I wonder how TeleNav will do this.
Updates to applications are considered free. Therefore, if TeleNav was using built-in maps, in order for them to make money, they'd have to re-list the application every time they updated the maps (just like all their GPS).
Or they could charge monthly/yearly like Garmin Mobile…
I would have both if apple realease voice commands for the Google Maps app because it would still be 2D and I want 3D but Google maps is better because you can find restorants etc… The only bad thing about the Maps it's that It needs 3G, EDGE or Wifi to load the maps it would be better if it would come built in! when will this happen.!
I would definitely use the feature if added to Google Maps. The use of a separate application would depend upon cost. I have a very good dedicated Garmin unit in my car. But Google Maps' dynamic POI database is superior to my static Garmin database even though I have updated it every year or so. I actually wrote about using the iPhone 3G as a GPS as it is, when my Garmin let me down recently. You can read about it on my blog at http://johnkendrick.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/iphone-does-gps/.
I have used Telenav since it was first introduced back on Nextel phones that didn't have graphics yet. The voice portion was all I cared about. 3D mapping is nice visually but when your alone in the car driving somewhere, the last thing you do is look at the screen. I punch in my address, set the phone down in the passenger seat and go. Something else that I think your article completely misses the is "back on track" feature. If you miss a turn or exit, Telenav beeps three times, reroutes and updates your directions on the fly. As for finding gas, restaurants, businesses, Telenav has done this too. Even sorting gas by the cheapest or by name.
I pay for Telenav to work on my Palm that only works on EDGE. Telenav doesn't download maps unless you request it. Again, when your driving all it does it voice you there with the screen showing your next turn and distance. The software on my Palm takes up about 600K and its mostly the voice software. It will download the voice tags as you go (street name, highway number, merging left or right, prepare to exit, etc)
At this point, I have two phones. I keep the palm for Telenav and use the iPhone for everything else. I can't wait to dump the palm.
Oh, costs: I pay for two years of service each renewal so it breaks out to about $8.00 a month and the software was free to download. Telenav has been independent of AT&T;and Nextel (when I was there) so I don't think there will be a cost from the carrier. I have been using Telenav for a little of 8 years now.
Apple will likely shoot these guys down. There is language in the new software release PROHIBITING turn-by-turn applications.
The safe bet is that Apple exercises tons of control/oversight (sound familiar) and rolls out a single, expensive, subscription based (because ATT will want a taste) turn-by-turn software program right around the (shopping) holidays.
If Telenav came out with an app for the iphone I would definitely buy it, no matter what the cost. The people at Telenav do a remarkable job and dominate in the navigation business. This one application could jolt the iphone way ahead of competitors. Telenav please hurry and compromise with apple on this application!!!!!!!!!
I used Tele-Nav with my Blackberry 8310 and loved it. Super software. I changed to an iphone on Oct 8 and was disappointed to learn that voice-prompted Tele-Nav was not available. AT&T;bought this application and renamed it "AT&T;Navigational." Why it is not already available for the iphone makes no sense. Hope this is corrected and that someone offers it.
Google and Garmin can not equal the voice activated performance of Tele-Nav. A really great product.
Had a meeting with my AT&T;reps today for business which then turned to my personal likes/dislikes of iphone. When I mentioned the lack of a navigation application comparable to Sprint/Nextel they said a preliminary launch date of Dec 1 is set for their version which should be better due to iphone's abilities.
We shall see…..
I'm bummed, I bought a California Marine navigation map because I fish Clear Lake a lot. It showed no inland waterways other than the Delta. $45 wasterd
I had Verizons navigator and loved it. I love my iphone but I miss the voice navigator. I will be moving to Cincinnati, Ohio in the spring and have my fingers crossed that the navigator will be ready for iphone so that I can find my way around.
I was so disapointed to realize that the GPS was not voice turn by turn.
Any more on this? This is about the only thing keeping me from upgrading from my BB-8820 to an iPhone.
December 1 is long gone. Where's Telenav, or any news of it's coming?
I haven't heard anything about this since, which really saddens me. This would be a killer feature for so many people. I don't understand why Apple is worried about people using the iPhone as a turn-by-turn GPS when other phones on the market do this and they aren't getting sued or anything. Your guess is as good as mine to why they aren't approving this.
While a full TBT GPS for driving would be great – the ability for a single device like the IPhone for cycling wold be perfect. If I want to really roam the countryside I carry a phone, GPS, and have a std bike computer (speed/distance).
I'm looking for an app to work like the Gamin Edge 605, only better. IPhone. Carrying stuff is a hassle on a bike – so the more you can have multi-use devices the better.
App developers – you would have a winner here!
This is almost a deal breaker for me – have to have the navigation.
If I had known that the gps had no voice at the time I purchased the iphone, I would not have purchased it. The iphone is great in all the other areas. GPS must have a voice in order to be able to use it safely. I will be glad to purchase tel-nav updates in order to have a voice on my iphone. Please email me when they have the download ready!
Jean from NJ
The only reason I am hanging onto my Moto Q is the real time turn by voice nav that is available. I wont buy the iPhone till they work this out.
It would be nice if the map would rotate with you so you would not have to turn the phone. It would also be nice if the map advanced to the next direction without having to do it manually.
I just purchased a I-phone. Had I known the maps did not have voice navigation, I would not have purchased. Extremely disappointing.
City folk. geeesh!
Just receive iPhone as a gift after a great "marriage" with my blackberry. A big highlight for me was Telenav. I still have margin to return the iPhone but can hold on if Telenav or comparable is (very soon) on the way. When is the great "coming"??!!
I was extremely disappointed to find that the GPS in the new iPhone didn't allow turn-by-turn directions. This was a feature that came free with my 3 year old Windows based phone. I expect more from Apple. In a way it reminds me of countries like Iraq a few years ago where journalists weren't allowed the use of a typewriter without a special licence, or Germany in the early part of the 20th Century where people who disagreed with their government were shot.
The opposition to Apple policies is clearly strong, with over 1.5 million users having jailbreaked their iPhones just to get some of the applications they want or need. This is against the law, but so is driving with a navigation device that requires your constant attention to use effectively. Jailbreaking however doesn't enable SatNav on the iPhone.
Short of purchasing an additional (non-Apple) product specifically for navigation, until Apple sort out turn-by-turn directions we are forced to jeopardise our own safety (and break the law) by constantly checking the screen (instead of the road) whilst driving to make sure we reach our destination. It is only a matter of time before Apple has blood on their hands!
I have a Blackberry Bold (9000) with TeleNav, and I love the navigation system. It's only shortcoming (besides sometimes being unable to find satellites, not only when inside but also when already moving in a car) is that in new real estate developments where the street addresses are not already in a data base, the device cannot find a location–a message comes up saying no address is within 500 feet. In a dedicated GPS device, the location would show, even if no streets or landmarks show to be adjacent.
I am waiting on TeleNav to get its system working on the iPhone before I buy an iPhone. I will not switch devices and give up the benefits of TeleNav. I also will need some convincing and practice with sending emails on the small iPhone keys display–even when rotated into landscape mode via third-party software. As a long time Blackberry user, I rely heavily on emails.
I currently use the Samsung Instinct. The fact that the iPhone does not have an app for turn by turn, speaking, directions, stops me from buying the phone. I use my navigation (teleNav) quite frequently. If TeleNav creates a turn by turn app for the iPhone, at a reasonable price, I would definitely reconsider purchasing an iPhone. Considering that TeleNav is included in my Sprint plan, it would have to be very inexpensive.
I was dissapointed to find our that I was not able to download or fnd something similar to the turn by turn feature on my iPhone… How much longer do we have to wait?? The complains have been coming in for over 6 months.. What's the hold up?
If it was coming it would be here by know.
I wish we could edit our posts so I could re-spell know to now. Haha.
Good news guys. The wait is almost over. Apple has announced that they will finally be allowing turn by turn GPS apps on the app store when iPhone OS 3.0 is released. You can expect that around June, and I'm sure the apps will come around that time as well. Who else is excitied? I know I am.
Hey! Thanks for making a liar out of me
i just got G-map for iPhone in app store.
Awesome app!!!!!!!
I have been using this new app a few days; basically I love almost everything about this app. It is only $24.99 bucks. But has features found $100 dedicated GPS devices. I think this is the only one navigation app in app store.
anyone want to see, check this out!
Excellent map graphics !!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4jqhSOiQkA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMeM4l3PkUM
I used Tele-Nav with my Blackberry 8310 and loved it. I will change phone company no matter the cost when Telenav, come to the iphone. Please hurry my whole family is waitting also
Used Tele-Nav with my Blackberry 8310 and loved it. If Telenav came out with an app for the iphone I would definitely buy it, no matter what the cost. I will buy a iphone same day Tele-Nav is link with it. Pleas hurry
Thanks for sharing the latest GMap App but no thanks. It's a step in the right direction–just not there. Once you've experienced TeleNav, there is no comparison. I received the IPhone as a gift and love all of the features except the inferior navigation. In this economy where the consumer is queen, Apple, what's up? Pirate engineers from Telenav–just make it happen already!!!!
I as well will wait for the talking version. There are lots of these types already for the iPhone.
Definitely won't be buying that shit… but I'll certainly pick up the free copy once the app gets cracked.
OK, folks, let's be realistic: we all LOVE Tele-Nav, and we love our iPhones. But it is apparent that neither Tele_Nav nor Apple is paying us any attention. These discussions have gone on for too long with no results.
There is NO technological reason that this application is not yet available. It is just not a priority to either company. Apparently, neither Tele-Nav nor Apple is listening to us and neither company needs the additional revenues. Too bad!
Larry Nesbit
Jackson, MS
I'M REQUESTING A PIN #
what is telenav?? I already own tomtom which works great except sucking bettry…!!