GPS on iPod Touch?
Hey guys,
I am curious on whether it is actually possible for GPS to function on the iPod Touch. Does it require a feature that is specific to the iPhone that is cell service related. I do not know much about GPS devices and am unsure if they function using some cellular technology as well.
The only thing I can think of is that the maps that it uses are downloaded real time. So a WiFi connection would be required to do that.
My thought is up until the iPhone 3G there was very little differentiation between the iPhone and iPod Touch other than the phone part. I am hoping Apple will try and bridge that gap again with GPS in the touch. This would allow it to take advantage of a lot of the real time location features in the Apps.
I am curious on whether it is actually possible for GPS to function on the iPod Touch. Does it require a feature that is specific to the iPhone that is cell service related. I do not know much about GPS devices and am unsure if they function using some cellular technology as well.
The only thing I can think of is that the maps that it uses are downloaded real time. So a WiFi connection would be required to do that.
My thought is up until the iPhone 3G there was very little differentiation between the iPhone and iPod Touch other than the phone part. I am hoping Apple will try and bridge that gap again with GPS in the touch. This would allow it to take advantage of a lot of the real time location features in the Apps.
Comments
Hey guys,
I am curious on whether it is actually possible for GPS to function on the iPod Touch. Does it require a feature that is specific to the iPhone that is cell service related. I do not know much about GPS devices and am unsure if they function using some cellular technology as well.
The only thing I can think of is that the maps that it uses are downloaded real time. So a WiFi connection would be required to do that.
My thought is up until the iPhone 3G there was very little differentiation between the iPhone and iPod Touch other than the phone part. I am hoping Apple will try and bridge that gap again with GPS in the touch. This would allow it to take advantage of a lot of the real time location features in the Apps.
While I posted in another thread that GPS on the iPod would be a waste since you didn't have a data plan (cept wifi but then usually your home) to access google maps... but I take that back...
GPS would be quite suitable in the IPod if a 3rd party GPS developer was to or already has developed a 'touch sdk' based GPS application...
Here's the reason...
I'm sure it would be very much against the TOS to download large amounts of GOOGLE's map data and store in locally on an iPod (or any device) and then use that map data for GPS navigation purposes. Map data like just about everything INCLUDING AIR ITSELF(*) is LICENSED these days and depending on WHAT you plan on doing with *whatever* (map data in this case) and how large the potential audience is (usually geographic regions - N. America / Europe / China / etc) will then determine how much the person that actually owns the data is going to charge you for it.
- Region: North Easter US.
- Distribution: Internet only (no end user downloading & saving)
Might cost: $ XX,XXX.00
- Region: Worldwide
- Distribution: User downloadable into local storage
Might cost: $ XXX,XXX.00 (or more)
Almost forgot: (*) Air right are indeed buyable, sellable and licensable. Example: It's done in NYC all the time AND I think NYC itself has claimed the space ABOVE existing PRIVATELY OWN BUILDINGS as NYC property that the can license out for their own benefit... (maybe that was overturned tho)....
(*) Also the FCC would be more than happy to license you a frequency to broadcast on/over once you pony up that check with LOTS and LOTS of ZEROS at the end...
So getting back to existing GPS developers.... Basically TomTom and Garmin... They have already made all the right connections to obtain the map data they need and negotiated a price that makes their devices cost friendly *and* they are already doing 'downloads to other mfgs hardware' so their map data licenses must have provisions for that too...
So YES gps would be a good move IF Apple knows their either TomTom and/or Garmin have made commitments to provide their software AND map data to the Touch devices.
Apple doing their own GPS... Yea it sound great but given all the map data licensing wrangling they'd have to do I'm not sure they'd wanna take that business on... Then again who'da though 5 years ago that Apple would be the company to BEAT in the cellphone industry in 2008.
I guess we'll know in just a few more minutes... okay they way Steve drags out the opening keynote it'll more likely be an hour before we get to the good stuff.....
Dave