Do standalone GPS units and the dodo bird have anything in common?
8/19/2009 at 2:48 PM
Very interesting to note changes in the GPS industry over the past few months.
With advances in cell phone screens, interfaces and the integration of GPS chips more and more cell phones are now capable of doing close to the same job as a standalone GPS.
This summer Apple has allowed GPS makers to release iPhone Apps that do more or less the same fundamental things as standalone units that many of us may have purchased.
Initially a few smaller companies released Apps, but in recent weeks both Navigon and Tomtom have come out with offerings.. currently priced at $69 and $99 respectively.
Blackberry apparently has similar available software. From a brief search, I don't think Google Android has a full-scale solution yet but it sounds like Tomtom is on the way for it too.
The question is, do you think that cell phones with GPS navigation software will eventually spell the end of the standalone GPS industry as software evolves and more and more people have GPS-capable phones? or will there be room for both?
A few links...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0293354032300.html, (article where Tomtom states that they feel there's room for both)
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/02489725878108-501303800.html, (Australia)
http://www.pocket-lint.com/reviews/review.phtml/4238/navigon-mobilenavigator-iphone-application-review.phtml (Review of Navigon for the iPhone)