Tomtom announces app for iPhone OS 3.0

[gatorguy]

One of the bigger issues is how AT&T is going to handle upgrades to the 3GS for existing customers. So far not well. Some customers can upgrade while others are denied and held to their original contract. Some have to pay full unsubsidized prices while others get the carrier subsidized price. Really screwy situation. A good synopsis of how AT&T is handling the upgrades can be found at Network World: FAQ: What an iPhone 3G S will cost you - Network World

Also, FWIW, I believe it will eventually be noted that the new 3GS is using a better chip that the Hammerhead II in the older 3G phone.

 

[mikealder]

Also, FWIW, I believe it will eventually be noted that the new 3GS is using a better chip that the Hammerhead II in the older 3G phone.

I certainly hope so as the 3G is pathetic when it comes to GPS when compared to alterate devices - Mike

 

[mvl]

Some updates were provided in the 2Q financial conference call:

Tomtom for iPhone is on track for summer launch - it will launch simultaneously in North America/Europe. The carkit will be sold via Tomtom.com, and via retail outlets (apple store sales TBD).

 

[macgirl]

Some updates were provided in the 2Q financial conference call:

Tomtom for iPhone is on track for summer launch - it will launch simultaneously in North America/Europe. The carkit will be sold via Tomtom.com, and via retail outlets (apple store sales TBD).

I wish they'd hurry up with this! I've tried Mobile Maps by Sygic already (pretty good - enough for me to plan on selling my TomTom Go 720) and will try Navigon's app next. I'm sure TomTom wants to get this right, but I think they're losing out taking their time like this.

 

[mikealder]

and will try Navigon's app next. I'm sure TomTom wants to get this right, but I think they're losing out taking their time like this.

Save your cash, if you have tried Sygic then the Navigon application will be a very negative move, the application is best described as basic, the routing is far from optimal, compared to Sygic its not worth the download let alone the cost (and yes I do have both apps installed to my iPhone).

The big driver and plus point for the TT application is the IQ routes if/ when it gets released as this will make a significant difference, the longer they take to release the application though the more potential customers they lose as Sygic is a very credible competitor - Mike

 

[macgirl]

Save your cash, if you have tried Sygic then the Navigon application will be a very negative move, the application is best described as basic, the routing is far from optimal, compared to Sygic its not worth the download let alone the cost (and yes I do have both apps installed to my iPhone).

The big driver and plus point for the TT application is the IQ routes if/ when it gets released as this will make a significant difference, the longer they take to release the application though the more potential customers they lose as Sygic is a very credible competitor - Mike

The Navigon app is that bad? That is a damn shame. The Sygic app is not perfect, but it does everything I need quite well.

IQ routes would be killer, though I would be satisfied with just some real-time traffic data. Hopefully someone will take advantage of the iPhone's always-on data connection to do this. (The traffic re-routing option in the Sygic app doesn't appear to do anything yet.)

 

[gatorguy]

Opinions do vary on Navigon's mobile app. You can always take a look at their free intro version to get a taste for it.

 

[macgirl]

Opinions do vary on Navigon's mobile app. You can always take a look at their free intro version to get a taste for it.

I've got a review version of the full Navigon app now to review and while it's more iPhone-like in menu structure and gestures, I'm finding it's not as full-feature as Sygic's Mobile Maps. However, I haven't used it much to navigate yet, so I'm a ways away from a final verdict.

The differences between Mobile Maps and MobileNavigator do make me wonder how TomTom is approaching their iPhone app. Will it look like the standard TomTom interface, only ported to the iPhone? Or, will they go all-out and completely adapt it to the standard iPhone interface and gestures? The last stand-alone TomTom app I had for a Palm Tungsten T5 looked exactly like what you'd find on their stand-alone units. However, the Palm interface was not as striking or as intuitive as the iPhone's, so it's not like TomTom had much to adapt to in that case anyway...

 

[mvl]

Will it look like the standard TomTom interface, only ported to the iPhone?

Check out the WWDC link I provided on June 9 on this thread. The demo showed a good amount of the interface. The driving view was Tomtom-like, and the menus were iPhone like.

 

[gatorguy]

FWIW, the latest guesstimate (from at least two sources) on the TT iPhone app release date is August 9th. It also appears that the added gps chip in the optional TomTom active mount may not be needed based on results from other mobile nav apps on the iPhone.

 

[mikealder]

Whilst the GPS performance might be adequate to negate the need of the mount the speaker still needs some form of external support as the iPhone is pathetic in a car when driven at realistic speeds. I use a Bluetooth kit so all the sound goes via the cars speakers, but not everyone will want to fit such aftermarket devices to their vehicles - At the end of the day I guess it depends on price vs need, if the mount is cheap enough people will go for it, time will tell - Mike

 

[gatorguy]

Mike, I'd probably agree with regard to speakers. Meant to mention that in my last reply.

 

[bal0512]

FWIW, the latest guesstimate (from at least two sources) on the TT iPhone app release date is August 9th. It also appears that the added gps chip in the optional TomTom active mount may not be needed based on results from other mobile nav apps on the iPhone.

That sounds believable. This UK website already has the bundle (App and Mount) up for preorder. They're asking about $165 for it.

 

[mvl]

bal0512 - the media got a hold of your link - you really set off a storm with that

Well, Tomtom has replied denying the quoted price.

 

[t84a]

$165? That's a bit saucy.

 

[mikealder]

Its time to check out the app store again as a price war seems to have started, probably caused by the recent release of Co-Pilot for the iPhone in the early hours of last Thursday. Sygic have slashed prices and Navigon have extended their map "sale" for UK/ European users the Co-Pilot application is looking very good at a very reasonable price point.
Still nothing from TT though, with four top name applications currently available thats a lot of potential sales opertunities missed - Mike

 

[mvl]

This mac website is all excited about a "future of navigation" press announcement set up for Sept 22, thinking this is the iPhone release.

Tomtom has positioned the iPhone as an equivalent to the low-end Tomtom 140. I doubt they'll wait that long for a "summer" iPhone app release. My guess is the iPhone app release will be concurrent with the August map release.

This "future of navigation" seems just in time for the next generation Tomtom GO announcement.

 

[mvl]

Has anyone tried the copilot app yet? It appears to be the only iPhone turn-by-turn vendor so far that has Teleatlas maps, and thus could be the first release of speed profiles/IQroutes on an iPhone.

If so, it would really kill one of the biggest selling points for the Tomtom app.

Anyone willing to test out the speed profiles availability on the app?

 

[mikealder]

I have the following loaded to my iPhone:

Navigon (Navteq)
Sygic (TeleAtlas)
I-Go (Navteq)
Co-Pilot (Navteq)

The above is applicable for UK/ European use though, US based mapping could be from a different supplier depending upon the application?
As yet I have seen nothing offering IQ type routes with any of the applications on the iPhone, that said CoPilot is by far the most capable application in my opinion and costs around half that of the others which makes it fantastic value for money - Mike

 

[mvl]

The iPhone app has been released, see this thread.