Google announces Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0
29 Oct 2009
Google, the Internet search giant is entering the navigation business by announcing its own turn-by-turn navigation application for driving directions for Android 2.0 devices.
Yesterday Google announced the Google Maps Navigation, which will be part of the default Google Maps app on Android 2.0 phones.
Currently, this application will only be available on the Droid phone in the US, but Google said that that these navigation capabilities would also be available to other phones, including the iPhone in the near future.
The Google Maps Navigation comes with nearly everything expected to find in a GPS navigation system, like 3D views, turn-by-turn voice guidance and automatic rerouting. But unlike most navigation systems, Google Maps Navigation was built from the ground up to take advantage of the phone's Internet connection.
As usual, Google said that this application comes free like most maps features. But this free navigation application will not be liked by its rivals like Tele Atlas or NAVTEQ, who get their revenue from licensing their data to GPS developers like TomTom, Garmin and Navigon.
Amsterdam-based TomTom, the world's leading provider of navigation solutions and digital maps, sells its new GPS car navigation system developed for iPhones with four different maps for consumers in the US, New Zealand, Canada and Australia for $99.99 in the US. (See: iPhone to host new TomTom GPS navigation software)