Full FeedTeleNav bringing GPS navigation to iPhone 3G
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]
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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)?
on September 12, 2008 at 11:09 AM - LINKI 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…
on September 12, 2008 at 11:49 AM - LINKI 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.!
on September 12, 2008 at 01:01 PM - LINKI 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/.
on September 13, 2008 at 07:30 AM - LINKI 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.
on September 13, 2008 at 01:46 PM - LINKApple 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.
on September 25, 2008 at 12:05 AM - LINKIf 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!
on October 1, 2008 at 02:58 PM - LINKJean from NJ
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!!!!!!!!!
on October 3, 2008 at 11:41 AM - LINKI 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.
on October 8, 2008 at 09:31 PM - LINKHad 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…..
on October 14, 2008 at 06:34 PM - LINKI’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
on October 25, 2008 at 12:17 PM - LINKI 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.
on November 19, 2008 at 11:22 AM - LINKI 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.
on December 9, 2008 at 09:11 AM - LINKDecember 1 is long gone. Where’s Telenav, or any news of it’s coming?
on December 12, 2008 at 10:15 AM - LINKI 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.
on December 12, 2008 at 10:26 AM - LINKWhile 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!
on December 13, 2008 at 09:54 AM - LINKThis is almost a deal breaker for me - have to have the navigation.
on December 29, 2008 at 12:52 PM - LINKThe 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.
on January 5, 2009 at 07:23 PM - LINKIt 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.
on January 13, 2009 at 05:54 PM - LINKI just purchased a I-phone. Had I known the maps did not have voice navigation, I would not have purchased. Extremely disappointing.
on February 1, 2009 at 01:53 PM - LINKCity folk. geeesh!
on February 1, 2009 at 01:56 PM - LINKJust 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”??!!
on February 17, 2009 at 02:13 PM - LINKI 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!
on February 18, 2009 at 07:04 AM - LINKI 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
on February 26, 2009 at 12:56 AM - LINKUsed 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
on February 26, 2009 at 02:16 AM - LINK