MapQuest offers subscription turn-by-turn iPhone directions

[AppleInsider]

MapQuest on Thursday announced the launch of its voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation application for the iPhone which offers service on a subscription plan.

The $0.99 application (iTunes link) comes with a 14-day free trial, after which users can purchase one month of service for $3.99, three months for $9.99, or one year for $29.99. The subscription is enabled from within the application, which features maps for both the U.S. and Canada.

According to MapQuest, features of the application include:

2-D and 3-D moving maps to help people follow the route as well as spoken directions with street names

Route optimization to avoid areas with accidents, construction or other events affecting traffic

Full route corridor download at the beginning of the journey enables the application to quickly re-routes in case of a missed turn, regardless of network coverage

One-tap search for businesses along a route via a palette of on-map widgets in categories such as hotels, shopping, gas stations, coffee shops, parking garages and more

More than 16 million points of interest and maps for the U.S. and Canada



This month, TomTom is set to release its $120 car kit for the iPhone and iPod touch. Contrary to early reports, the hardware kit will not ship with a copy of the iPhone navigation software.

However, the hardware does include an external GPS receiver that is said to improve reception on the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G, and allow it for the first-generation iPhone and iPod touch. TomTom has said its car kit will work with other navigation applications.



A comparable business model to MapQuest's application is AT&T's Mobile Navigator. That application is free and offers voice guidance, 3D on-screen navigation, and automatic rerouting. It, too requires a monthly service subscription, at $9.95.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[bigmc6000]

Generally I'm pretty anti-subscription but when the prices are that manageable and it comes with the ability to do varying time frames it's hard to ignore. It's rare that I need GPS so this might very well be the best option for me.

[chronster]

Great, so if you even have service, you can use your iphone to get lost as hell!

(I know I sound like a stinker, but I just hate mapquest from a bad experience in kentucky. It brings back nightmarish memories.)

[desides]

Let the competition begin.

[technohermit]

Originally Posted by chronster

Great, so if you even have service, you can use your iphone to get lost as hell!

(I know I sound like a stinker, but I just hate mapquest from a bad experience in kentucky. It brings back nightmarish memories.)

I'm with you, haven't used MapQuest in ages because they never updated their info. Google is moving onto my sh*t list, too. They need to keep updating, have they forgotten things change?

On the plus side, the cost for this is manageable, there are options, and it's GPS turn by turn. Hopefully MapQuest will set the others straight on their pricing (you see that TomTom? NO ONE wants to spend $200 on a GPS when they already own the GPS part )
Even AT&T's was ridiculously over-priced crapware. Another +1 for competition yay!

[aduzik]

The app is only 2.9 MB. Either these are the best compressed maps in the universe, or else the second you lose cellular connectivity, you also lose your maps. It's cheaper, but it seems like you get what you pay for.

[camroidv27]

Originally Posted by technohermit

I'm with you, haven't used MapQuest in ages because they never updated their info. Google is moving onto my sh*t list, too. They need to keep updating, have they forgotten things change?

On the plus side, the cost for this is manageable, there are options, and it's GPS turn by turn. Hopefully MapQuest will set the others straight on their pricing (you see that TomTom? NO ONE wants to spend $200 on a GPS when they already own the GPS part )
Even AT&T's was ridiculously over-priced crapware. Another +1 for competition yay!

Although I like Google, I will admit it took them over 6 months to add in a major freeway in my area. Even odder was the fact you could see the traffic on that stretch, but not the road! Now I can see traffic on a street level which I think is pretty cool.

[Otto42]

Get Waze instead. It's free, it has great voice directions (sounds better than some of the pay apps I tried), and a 2d and 3d mode, and also uses crowdsourcing for traffic reports and such.

The maps are slightly less advanced than some of the more professional apps, I admit, but if they're wrong, then the crowdsourcing aspect gets them fixed quickly. The more people using it, the better the data becomes.

Also, the crowdsourcing works for average speeds too, meaning that traffic jams can be detected and avoided by rerouting around them, in real time.

Very clever idea, good implementation. And *free*.

[woofpup]

Originally Posted by aduzik

The app is only 2.9 MB. Either these are the best compressed maps in the universe, or else the second you lose cellular connectivity, you also lose your maps. It's cheaper, but it seems like you get what you pay for.

The article explains that the map of the corridor between your start and destination is downloaded at the beginning of the trip so it can reroute with or without service. You just wouldn't be able to go outside of that area without service. Not a terrible compromise...

[technohermit]

Originally Posted by woofpup

The article explains that the map of the corridor between your start and destination is downloaded at the beginning of the trip so it can reroute with or without service. You just wouldn't be able to go outside of that area without service. Not a terrible compromise...

I was going to say that perhaps when you subscribe in-app, that it might add something at that point, after you have an active subscription. It wouldn't make sense to give people the maps on an inactive account, why would they need to pay for it? Someone would just 4@xx0r it and they'd have free GPS.

[buceta]

I would be willing to bet MapQuest is the best overall solution here. Cost is manageable and even the yearly subscription is low compared to other applications that go for about $100.

I would be willing to bet ATT is the worst option here just because anything from ATT is always an overpriced bag of consumer shafting. It probably will turn out to be vaporware with an ATT logo.

Tom Tom headquarters must be suffering from a massive marijuana smoke leak in their air ventilation system if they think people will shell out $120 to buy a GPS that plugs into a GPS and ruins both practicality and decor while there are options to be had for $20 bucks.

[melgross]

First, we need to see some professional reviews of the app to see how good it is. It does seem to have the features most wanted, such as street name readout.

Second, the AT&T app comes out on top of the other apps in reviews. It's not a piece of crap. It's just more expensive over time.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by bigmc6000

Generally I'm pretty anti-subscription but when the prices are that manageable and it comes with the ability to do varying time frames it's hard to ignore. It's rare that I need GPS so this might very well be the best option for me.

I do like the pricing, hopefully it works well. Having the service for a month for $4 is pretty nice, that's pretty manageable for a road trip. $1 for the first trip (14 days) probably suits most people pretty well. The rest of the time, I really don't need it.

[godrifle]

Standing on my porch outside my house. To get anywhere, it first says I have to drive 320 feet up a dead-end road that I'm not on and that I'm looking at from my porch.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by godrifle

Standing on my porch outside my house. To get anywhere, it first says I have to drive 320 feet up a dead-end road that I'm not on and that I'm looking at from my porch.

Often that's the fault of the GPS. I've had that happen to my iPhone using Google Maps and other programs.

This is why the $120 attachment for the Tom Tom program includes a stronger GPS.

Phone GPS's tend to be less reliable than ones from device meant for the purpose. It might be that they don't lock on as many satellites as the single purposes devices do.

[libertyforall]

STILL waiting for Apple to add built-in FREE voice-guided, turn-by-turn GPS navigation!

[libertyforall]

Thanks for your suggestion -- downloading now! ;-)

Originally Posted by Otto42

Get Waze instead. It's free, it has great voice directions (sounds better than some of the pay apps I tried), and a 2d and 3d mode, and also uses crowdsourcing for traffic reports and such.

The maps are slightly less advanced than some of the more professional apps, I admit, but if they're wrong, then the crowdsourcing aspect gets them fixed quickly. The more people using it, the better the data becomes.

Also, the crowdsourcing works for average speeds too, meaning that traffic jams can be detected and avoided by rerouting around them, in real time.

Very clever idea, good implementation. And *free*.

[md65066]

So if you pay $.99 cents for the app, and try it for 14 days, then you do not like it.. how do you cancel? Is it an in-app feature.. or?

[GregoriusM]

The Canadian store does not have Waze on it.

[souliisoul]

Originally Posted by md65066

So if you pay $.99 cents for the app, and try it for 14 days, then you do not like it.. how do you cancel? Is it an in-app feature.. or?

You really going to complain about $.99 cents for the apps that you do not like after 14 days. Before you purchase the apps read the reviews and understand your requirements and the apps limitations.

I always say you pay for what you get. I prefer to spend $120 dollars on Tom Tom and know its more reliable then Mapquest. Yes some people can't afford or do not want to spend that amount of money, but do not expect same level of service and quality.

[hill60]

Why should they?

Which other phone manufacturer offers this, the only one I'm aware of is the Garmin Nuvi and even with that you have to pay for updates.

Originally Posted by libertyforall

STILL waiting for Apple to add built-in FREE voice-guided, turn-by-turn GPS navigation!

[melgross]

Originally Posted by libertyforall

STILL waiting for Apple to add built-in FREE voice-guided, turn-by-turn GPS navigation!

Why should we expect that? The free apps offered by others are simpler versions, missing features.

[ivan.rnn01]

Originally Posted by libertyforall

STILL waiting for Apple to add built-in FREE voice-guided, turn-by-turn GPS navigation!

$%#%^$^ !!!
What should it look like

[Otto42]

Originally Posted by GregoriusM

The Canadian store does not have Waze on it.

Yeah, Waze isn't in Canada yet. They actually started out in Israel, with *no map at all*, relying on the GPS from drivers to build the map as they went along. It proved quite successful.

However, in the US, they figured that they needed a starting point for people to actually use it, so they're using the free Tiger map data and refining as they go along. I expect them to push into other countries in the same manner, after they work out the kinks.

Still, talk to them directly, they're quite responsive to feedback: http://waze.com

Only thing I don't like about Waze is that the directions it gives you tend to suck at first. See, it has a notable preference for routing only on streets that it knows actually exist, where it has gotten GPS data from them before. It won't route you on a street that it knows about, but has no data. This means that until somebody confirms that street, it will avoid it, and the directions therefore can be quite humorous until the map gets filled in well. Gave me an 8 mile trek for a 1 mile drive once..

Still, it's a self-solving problem, because as people drive around with it, it fills in the streets and the routing gets better and better, especially since it will then know the average speeds for streets as well.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by Otto42

Yeah, Waze isn't in Canada yet. They actually started out in Israel, with *no map at all*, relying on the GPS from drivers to build the map as they went along. It proved quite successful.

However, in the US, they figured that they needed a starting point for people to actually use it, so they're using the free Tiger map data and refining as they go along. I expect them to push into other countries in the same manner, after they work out the kinks.

Still, talk to them directly, they're quite responsive to feedback: http://waze.com

Only thing I don't like about Waze is that the directions it gives you tend to suck at first. See, it has a notable preference for routing only on streets that it knows actually exist, where it has gotten GPS data from them before. It won't route you on a street that it knows about, but has no data. This means that until somebody confirms that street, it will avoid it, and the directions therefore can be quite humorous until the map gets filled in well. Gave me an 8 mile trek for a 1 mile drive once..

Still, it's a self-solving problem, because as people drive around with it, it fills in the streets and the routing gets better and better, especially since it will then know the average speeds for streets as well.

I would think that in a country that's pretty small, like Israel, it could work quire well. But in the US, it would have major problems. Israel has a small number of cities and towns, connected by few roads. NYC alone is perhaps ten times as complex as the entire country.

One driver in Israel could map out a large portion of the country, but here, it would take thousands to just get it started.