A few days ago at iCE Amsterdam Navigon announced a GPS navigation app for Android, set to release on December 10th. Google recently unleashed Google Maps Navigation for free on all 1.6 devices, leaving some (including myself) wondering what market space would really be left for GPS latecomers. But combine the fact that Google Navigation is still only available only in the US with no support for 1.5 devices and there is still a sizable segment up for grabs.
Pricing has yet to be announced but the current Navigon offering on the iPhone carries a hefty $89 price tag. We’ve yet to really see how Google Navigation being free has disrupted the GPS market but the forthcoming Android price point might give us a little insight. It should be interesting to see what angle they take.
Would you pay a high premium for turn-by-turn navigation? Or just wait it out for a free solution?
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Clark Wimberly
Clark is a web designer and developer living in Austin, Texas. He runs ClarkLab, a small web firm with an ever-increasing Android focus. He's a big fan of usability, standards, and clean design.
8 Comments
If a paid app works when there is no cell coverage I am in. If not I am staying with the free apps. Why pay for no added functionality.
I received that Nav update to my G1 on my vacation and used it on the way from Jersey to Florida> I was just about to buy one on black friday and Im sooo glad I waited. Free Free Free free .
I would google nav when I was in my own country. be on vacation but I think the Internet costs a little more expensive. (and I’m waiting for android 2.0 phones that do come from the Netherlands.)
doesn’t gNav also work outside the us? at least i’ve got it working here (but never tested it on the go yet).
anyways, i don’t think that there is much room for high priced (90$) navigation systems on android. just too many free or ‘low priced’ navigation systems are already out there (nav4all, foxNav, copilot, etc.)
Too little, too late. $89 for a phone that costs about $100? I would just buy a Tom Tom, then, for the rare occasion that I’m somewhere with no coverage.
No market here, spin again.
Stick with the free navigation…its actually really good..I used it for the first time this past Friday when going to visit a friends new born in a staten island hospital..I hate staten island bcuz the street layout is nothing like the rest of NYC..anyway..my tomtom led me to a church by the same name as the hospital on the other side of the island…luckily for me, my handy dandy g1 came to the rescue
You don’t need to worry about cell coverage with Google Navigation, because it will cache your route while in a coverage area so that you won’t be left in the dark if/when your coverage is dropped, randomly.
While the free google nav is fine on MT3G, I still bought a TomTom XL on black friday, the one with the 4.5 inch screen for… 80 bucks. WTF are these companies thinking releasing a software package that costs as much as a dedicated device?