Smartphones now come with GPS receivers and big screens that make them suitable for use as navigation devices. All important platforms now boast free navigator programs in their app catalogs. High-mileage drivers may find them to be of only mixed utility, though. And the quality of the programs varies strongly.
Modern mobile phones are Internet surfboards, cameras, gaming consoles, and MP3 players all in one. Thanks to GPS receivers, they are now also ready to serve as no-cost navigation devices. To get started, a user needs one of the free solutions that has been created for each platform. The software is very well suited for occasional drivers. High-mileage drivers might find them less reliable, though.
Navigational software for mobiles has always been cheaper than those external navigators that are affixed to the inside of the windshield. The real game changer came in late 2009, when Google turned the market upside down. The Internet giant announced a free navigation solution for smartphones running its Android operating system. At almost the same time, startups like Skobbler began releasing inexpensive apps as well.
The competition had an effect, with free navigational programs now available for all major smartphone platforms. “Vehicle navigation is becoming more of a standard feature on smartphones,” says Achim Barczok from German computer magazine c’t.
It should be noted, though, that the quality of the programs varies widely. Even more importantly, drivers should understand that free programs can’t compete with full-featured commercial navigator systems. That includes services like a lane-selection adviser and up-to-the-minute reports on traffic jams.
“The underlying quality is relatively good for all solutions, but if I’m someone who needs to rely on my navigation system, then I should spend the money for full-featured systems,” advises Oliver Stauch from Stuttgart-based Connect magazine.
Among the solutions considered to be not full-featured is the one from…