TomTom clarifies: £99.99 hardware, application sold separately

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Correcting an Apple online store listing from earlier Thursday, TomTom U.K. announced that the iPhone car kit accessory will have a retail price of £99.99 but will not include the TomTom application.



"TomTom announces today that the TomTom car kit for the iPhone will have a recommended retail price of £99.99," the company said in a press release. "The TomTom car kit will be available this October and will be sold separately from the TomTom app. It will be compatible with the iPhone 2G, 3G and 3GS. All further details on the car kit will be made available soon."



That conflicts with earlier reports that the kit would include the software as a bundle. It also disputes the Apple Store page, which was listed for a short time Thursday, that explicitly stated the TomTom application would be part of the package.



Not stated in the press release is whether the iPod touch will be compatible with the hardware kit. The windshield mount includes an external GPS receiver that is said to improve the reception of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.



Unlike those models, first-generation iPhone does not include an internal GPS receiver, but the press release states that the device will work with the hardware. That corrects an apparent error in the previous Apple Store listing, which said that the TomTom software would not work on the first-generation iPhone.



Originally due for release over the summer, the kit was delayed until October. The TomTom application was released in the App Store in August at a price of $99 U.S. No U.S. price for the hardware kit has been made available.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 40
    So... we can have the pleasure of using our iPhones as docked GPS units for something like $260? What a joke. Better to buy an extremely nice GPS unit on sale--high end stuff here--rather than conform to our iPhone screen and complicate use of our phones. Or even better yet, buy a perfectly functional GPS for under $100 and bank the rest.
  • Reply 2 of 40
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,014member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Correcting an Apple online store listing from earlier Thursday, TomTom U.K. announced that the iPhone car kit accessory will have a retail price of £99.99 but will not include the TomTom application.



    "TomTom announces today that the TomTom car kit for the iPhone will have a recommended retail price of £99.99," the company said in a press release. "The TomTom car kit will be available this October and will be sold separately from the TomTom app. It will be compatible with the iPhone 2G, 3G and 3GS. All further details on the car kit will be made available soon."



    That conflicts with earlier reports that the kit would include the software as a bundle. It also disputes the Apple Store page, which was listed for a short time Thursday, that explicitly stated the TomTom application would be part of the package.



    Not stated in the press release is whether the iPod touch will be compatible with the hardware kit. The windshield mount includes an external GPS receiver that is said to improve the reception of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.



    Unlike those models, first-generation iPhone does not include an internal GPS receiver, but the press release states that the device will work with the hardware. That corrects an apparent error in the previous Apple Store listing, which said that the TomTom software would not work on the first-generation iPhone.



    Originally due for release over the summer, the kit was delayed until October. The TomTom application was released in the App Store in August at a price of $99 U.S. No U.S. price for the hardware kit has been made available.



    99 pounds, no Tom Tom app?





    Riiiiight.
  • Reply 3 of 40
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member
    Are they retarded? Seriously you can buy a TomTom GPS for £69 why on earth would you buy this cheap plastic cradle for £99 followed by the software?
  • Reply 4 of 40
    I'll repeat what i said before that i suspected part of the delay in the car kit was to see how many people buy the app then set the price. Clearly at £99 Tom Tom must have sold a lot of apps.



    My advice to those iPhone users who have already bought the app, me included, is to resist pre-ordering the car kit. Make them sweat!!
  • Reply 5 of 40
    irnchrizirnchriz Posts: 1,616member
    Bargain, I will take 3 please......oh, wait.. you need an iPhone and the app at £60. erm, no thanks. LOL



    Since they fixed co-pilot its been ace and for only £25. I used it to go across Scotland on tuesday to a really obscure destination near Dunoon and it worked no problem on my iPhone 3GS. The iPhone was in a standard, window mounted, mobile cradle and connected up to the in-car charger and I had no issues whatsoever. Bargain!
  • Reply 6 of 40
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    They are counting on people thinking "well, shit, even at $250 for kit and app, it does so much more than the stand alone units, cuz it uses the iPhone".



    Which of course would mean intentionally ignoring the fact that you have to also buy the iPhone. And signing up for a voice plan. And data plan. I guess if you already have the iphone, you could consider those sunk costs, but it really is unfair to say the kit/app/iphone does more than the stand alones without then including the real cost.
  • Reply 7 of 40
    Tomtom is alienating their base. No wonder Navigon is #1 in gross sales and Tomtom is #14 (and tomtom is more expensive!). Shame on tomtom...
  • Reply 8 of 40
    £99.99 for the hardware? £59.99 for the software? No ****ing chance.
  • Reply 9 of 40
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post


    So... we can have the pleasure of using our iPhones as docked GPS units for something like $260? What a joke. Better to buy an extremely nice GPS unit on sale--high end stuff here--rather than conform to our iPhone screen and complicate use of our phones. Or even better yet, buy a perfectly functional GPS for under $100 and bank the rest.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by saarek View Post


    Are they retarded? Seriously you can buy a TomTom GPS for £69 why on earth would you buy this cheap plastic cradle for £99 followed by the software?



    I think we've covered this many times before. I've not made the comparison myself, but many people have stated that the features of the iPhone version is equivalent to the $300-$400 TomTom stand alone units. If all anyone wanted was a sub-$100 unit, why would TomTom bother selling a $400 unit? Obviously, some people are willing to pay for more than basic functionality. If you aren't, that's fine. Go buy the cheaper units.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    They are counting on people thinking "well, shit, even at $250 for kit and app, it does so much more than the stand alone units, cuz it uses the iPhone".



    Which of course would mean intentionally ignoring the fact that you have to also buy the iPhone. And signing up for a voice plan. And data plan. I guess if you already have the iphone, you could consider those sunk costs, but it really is unfair to say the kit/app/iphone does more than the stand alones without then including the real cost.



    That's a pretty foolish argument. If you are buying an iPhone soley for the purpose of using the TomTom software and hardare, then you deserve to get screwed out of your money. Nobody is going to say, "wow, I'd like to use TomTom, I need to go buy an iPhone." And if you already own an iPhone, it's not even "sunk costs". That implies you spent the money for the purpose of getting the TomTom unit and aren't using the iPhone for anything else other than the TomTom unit.



    Yes, it's expensive. But keep in mind that according to early information you are also able to use the TomTom cradle with other GPS software on the iPhone. Should TomTom offer the cradle at little-to-no profit, which would be fair to TomTom app purchasers, but then let other app developers leverage their product? Hopefully there will eventually be a bundling or rebate offer to reward those who purchase both the TomTom hardware and TomTom app.
  • Reply 10 of 40
    Aye, that's a bit bawz, eh?



    No chance. I'll use Google Maps directions, and my other half, thanks. Much cheaper!
  • Reply 11 of 40
    I've just fallen over with laughter after reading this and need to go to A&E as I think I've just broken a rib or two.



    TOM TOM you are barking MAD
  • Reply 12 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    I think we've covered this many times before. I've not made the comparison myself, but many people have stated that the features of the iPhone version is equivalent to the $300-$400 TomTom stand alone units. If all anyone wanted was a sub-$100 unit, why would TomTom bother selling a $400 unit? Obviously, some people are willing to pay for more than basic functionality. If you aren't, that's fine. Go buy the cheaper units.



    A... TomTom apologist? If you're going to spend that much money why would you buy a GPS from TomTom, when there are much better alternatives? And you've done a most excellent job of focusing on a few potential perks while completely ignoring a few specific advantages of a dedicated unit (such as a much larger screen) and disadvantages of using an iPhone (Do you want to listen to music? Phone calls interfering with navigation?). I was as excited about this TomTom app as most anyone else, but frankly, at this price range you can get features far greater than what is being offered through the iPhone app (read reviews in the app store from people who have purchased it).



    GPS units are very easy to get on sale and the iPhone doesn't offer much to GPS navigation that you can't get through a dedicated unit while at the same time introducing some flaws. I just don't see the value in this.
  • Reply 13 of 40
    they are mental. That's just crazy pricing.
  • Reply 14 of 40
    I'll think the better option than a cheap dedicated GPS unit or the TOMTOM combo is the Navigon app. I don't think Thera others mentioned above has:



    -text to speech

    -iPod functionality without having wires all over the place in your car

    -live traffic update which will be a one-time fee through in-app purchase



    TomTom has shown, like Garmin, that they are still too heavily invested in hardware. They will not offer comparable services to the Navigon app.
  • Reply 15 of 40
    I'd wait - don't buy the TomTom cradle at all. I'm sure someone else will make a similar cradle for half the price.... Buy that one to stick it to TomTom. The company must be filled with idiots - the software is pretty shoddy with missing features at too high a price. If people hold off and don't buy it, they'll be forced to lower their prices.
  • Reply 16 of 40
    Asswipes
  • Reply 17 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wiggin View Post


    I think we've covered this many times before. I've not made the comparison myself, but many people have stated that the features of the iPhone version is equivalent to the $300-$400 TomTom stand alone units. If all anyone wanted was a sub-$100 unit, why would TomTom bother selling a $400 unit? Obviously, some people are willing to pay for more than basic functionality. If you aren't, that's fine. Go buy the cheaper units.







    That's a pretty foolish argument. If you are buying an iPhone soley for the purpose of using the TomTom software and hardare, then you deserve to get screwed out of your money. Nobody is going to say, "wow, I'd like to use TomTom, I need to go buy an iPhone." And if you already own an iPhone, it's not even "sunk costs". That implies you spent the money for the purpose of getting the TomTom unit and aren't using the iPhone for anything else other than the TomTom unit.



    Yes, it's expensive. But keep in mind that according to early information you are also able to use the TomTom cradle with other GPS software on the iPhone. Should TomTom offer the cradle at little-to-no profit, which would be fair to TomTom app purchasers, but then let other app developers leverage their product? Hopefully there will eventually be a bundling or rebate offer to reward those who purchase both the TomTom hardware and TomTom app.



    Very true. Glad someone here has a little sense



    £100 cradle + £60 app = £160. Seems like a perfectly reasonable and average price for a GPS system. You can get cheaper ones, if you want a cheaper one, get one of those. You can also get more expensive ones, if you want lots of features, get one of those.

    Honestly, what were you guys expecting to pay...?
  • Reply 18 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande View Post


    So... we can have the pleasure of using our iPhones as docked GPS units for something like $260? What a joke. Better to buy an extremely nice GPS unit on sale--high end stuff here--rather than conform to our iPhone screen and complicate use of our phones. Or even better yet, buy a perfectly functional GPS for under $100 and bank the rest.



    As I answered you previously:



    Well you do get what you pay for.



    Based on folks I would trust more than somebody that has never even seen one, it would appear that stand-alones are on there way out. Certainly, without a data connection, even the highest end GPS units aren't going to be able to match what TomTom is offering.



    If all you are going to do is use your GPS to tell you were you are and how to get to where you are going, you could save your $100 by just listening to your wife.



    Putting out $260 for a unit that is probably going to suffice for at least 3 years or more, to save 15¢ a day seems like a rather chintzy amount.
  • Reply 19 of 40
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mark W View Post


    Very true. Glad someone here has a little sense



    £100 cradle + £60 app = £160. Seems like a perfectly reasonable and average price for a GPS system. You can get cheaper ones, if you want a cheaper one, get one of those. You can also get more expensive ones, if you want lots of features, get one of those.

    Honestly, what were you guys expecting to pay...?



    Unfortunately, typically nothing.
  • Reply 20 of 40
    dreyfus2dreyfus2 Posts: 1,072member
    I am not going to say that the price is really good, but I do not think it is as stiff a most people make it sound either. It will bring a quality mount with speaker and charger, GPS support for classic iPhones and touches plus the signal improvement for 3G/3Gs owners. So, of course, if somebody already has a decent window mount, a charger, connectivity to a speaker/stereo in place and is using a 3G/3GS (which do not really have GPS reception problems, I use the Navigon app since it arrived and only ever loose GPS in tunnels)... then the calculation is not looking attractive. For original iPhone users and touch users it is a different story, they actually buy functionality they can't have otherwise and buying all the bits and pieces separately is not really much cheaper, if at all (my Sweden-made quality car mount was almost as expensive as the TomTom unit, but comes without a GPS receiver, speaker or charger).



    For me, the more severe story is how far TomTom is behind Navigon in the software department. They were several weeks late, the original release was clearly behind Navigon in features and Navigon has released several huge updates since then (text-to-speech, iPod controls etc.), even a live traffic data feature (in-app purchase) that is very reasonably priced will come in October, and they won every single detailed comparison/review I ran across. If TomTom makes a bigger effort in the software department, I can see quite a few people buying this.
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