Details and Video Ad of TomTom for iPhone

[Cody Overcash]

It really is going to happen this time around. Announced and demoed at WWDC by TomTom co-founder and CTO Peter-Frans Pauwels TomTom for iPhone will make its way to the AppStore shortly after firmware 3.0 goes public on June 17th!

The application is advertised to work for both the iPhone 3S and the 3GS. The application of course is the TomTom software including IQ Routes and latest maps from Tele Atlas. Going hand and hand with that application and the phone it appears the TomTom iPhone navigation kit will also be required. The kit is a specially designed car kit for secure docking, enhanced GPS performance, clear voice instructions, and hands free calling.

[Happy Noodle Boy]

I can't wait to read the flood of complaints acout the price of the app. The kit is awesome, though. Might need to get that.

Hint: it's not going to be $0.99

[virtualcappy]

Any ideas how they might make it NOT suck at staying on the road like XGPS (not to complain about an awesome, free effort by the devs... its hardware not software) does? I hope the 3GS has a better gps chip. I'm sure the compass will help "snap" to the correct road. Can't wait to try the TomTom App...

[cajun1689]

I am more interested in tom tom updating the software on their products to give better support to the iphone ie data and text messaging options.

[Happy Noodle Boy]

Any ideas how they might make it NOT suck at staying on the road like XGPS (not to complain about an awesome, free effort by the devs... its hardware not software) does? I hope the 3GS has a better gps chip. I'm sure the compass will help "snap" to the correct road. Can't wait to try the TomTom App...

It doesn't (have a better gps chip) and it won't (use the compass). I imagine the software will be better with "snapping" you in the correct road you're going.

[sziklassy]

It doesn't (have a better gps chip) and it won't (use the compass). I imagine the software will be better with "snapping" you in the correct road you're going.

Based on the keynote, the kit is supposed to boost your gps signal, if I am not mistaken. My main question is price. Will it be worth buying this over a normal gps unit? For me it would have to be around 50-75 bucks at the most to warrant me purchasing this over a standalone device.

[virtualcappy]

That's odd. I'm far from a developer, but if the compass is accurate enough and the map is accurate enough it seems like your orientation could be a pretty key bit of data to help the crummy gps chip. I guess that assumes the iphone's aligned with the road but unless you're actually spinning the iphone on your finger you'd think they could work that issue out... between the compass, the accelerometer, that lame-o GPS chip and good maps you ought to get something that's pretty accurate.

[Happy Noodle Boy]

Based on the keynote, the kit is supposed to boost your gps signal, if I am not mistaken. My main question is price. Will it be worth buying this over a normal gps unit? For me it would have to be around 50-75 bucks at the most to warrant me purchasing this over a standalone device.

Well going by TomTom's website, the US/Canada map is worth about $80 depending on the model. That's what I'm expecting the app to be, but I wouldn't be surprised if its closer to 100

[leram84]

intrested to see how this will compare with xgps... i remember reading something (written by the xgps dev i believe) about how a cydia gps app has a serious advantage over an app store gps app... can't really remember what it was tho.

[canadiancow]

intrested to see how this will compare with xgps... i remember reading something (written by the xgps dev i believe) about how a cydia gps app has a serious advantage over an app store gps app... can't really remember what it was tho.

The advantage was that with the 2.0 firmware, Apple didn't allow the apps in the app store.

[wolverinemarky]

lol wow i wasnt imagining the tom tom app to cost that much i think i will stick to xgps for a while then or buy a standalone gps unit

[kennyleeme]

btw does this tomtom app require internet connection. because i have no data plan for my iphone, all i do is use wifi on it when im home/school. so if i were to use it in the car, would i be fine without an internet connection on my phone? just wondering

[Happy Noodle Boy]

btw does this tomtom app require internet connection. because i have no data plan for my iphone, all i do is use wifi on it when im home/school. so if i were to use it in the car, would i be fine without an internet connection on my phone? just wondering

That's a good question. I imagine it should be offline only with a huge app size (storing all map data locally), but I'm curious if tomtom is planning on streaming map data in order to minimize the app cost...

[thecork]

As someone else said, im sure loads of people will moan when they release the price.

To be honest though, you shouldn't. If you look at tomtom's website, software for other mobiles/pda's has always cost around £90 in the uk store (i suppose that makes it about $150) with a map. More maps cost more. For those saying, sod that i may as well buy a standalone, whats the point, the point is very simple. Conveiniance. Conveiniance of having one device to it all. If you dont want to pay for tomtom, stick with xGPS, its good, i use it, but i miss the tomtom i used to have on my HTC. So coupled with the hardware kit i expect this will cost around the same as a stand-alone unit, but from TomTom's point of view why wouldn't they charge that much. They are not going to charge 99c or even 10 bucks, purely because they never have done and never will.

All i am hoping for is that you don't HAVE to buy the car kit as well, and that you can use it just as an app. Personally, i don't find too many problems with the GPS chip using xGPS and TomTom's software will be able to understand that you are on a road, and as others say, snap to it, rather then just over-laying a blue dot on a map image like xGPS. I used tomtom on an HTC with built in chip no problems for over a year, no problems, ever. That way maybe it will be a bit cheaper at least just buying the app.

And to the person asking about the internet connection. No. TomTom will have built in maps so that it can always work offline. (That will cue a load more complaints more than likely that the maps will take up a gig, "oh man what a piece of s**t i only have 8 gigs i aint gonna waste 1 on a sat nav"...can see it now. Jeez.) The only thing it may require a net connection for is to update traffic info and the like, but i expect that to be subscription based as well, just like their standalone units and their previous mobile software.

Anyway my 2, rather long, cents worth.

[adp]

That's a good question. I imagine it should be offline only with a huge app size (storing all map data locally), but I'm curious if tomtom is planning on streaming map data in order to minimize the app cost...

TomTomā€™s announcement at WWDC

The Apple website states:

"Apple version of TomTom’s award-winning turn-by-turn navigation software, including IQ Routes and latest maps from Tele Atlas"

which may not require an internet connection, unless maps are downloaded from TeleAtlas like Google. I would think they are smart enough to realize that it's faster this way.

The application is advertised to work for both the iPhone 3S and the 3GS.

Did you mean 3G and 3GS? Because I believe (and hope) that this app works on all 3G iPhones.

[exNavy]

Based on the keynote, the kit is supposed to boost your gps signal, if I am not mistaken. My main question is price. Will it be worth buying this over a normal gps unit? For me it would have to be around 50-75 bucks at the most to warrant me purchasing this over a standalone device.

I like the idea of this being integrated into my phone, which leaves the car when I do. As opposed to some dedicated GPS unit that you either have to hide and hope doesn't get stolen, or drag with you in a bag.

[sziklassy]

Well going by TomTom's website, the US/Canada map is worth about $80 depending on the model. That's what I'm expecting the app to be, but I wouldn't be surprised if its closer to 100

Is that Canadian or USD? I can buy a new Garmin Nuvi at Best Buy for 120 USD retail. Seems like the app plus the dock will cost that much anyway. Count me out I guess...

I like the idea of this being integrated into my phone, which leaves the car when I do. As opposed to some dedicated GPS unit that you either have to hide and hope doesn't get stolen, or drag with you in a bag.

I don't disagree, however if it costs the same as a gps unit I'd rather just keep the one I have and throw it in the glovebox when I am done. More damage will occur to my car if it is broken into than the loss of a 150 dollar gps unit to be honest.

The convenience argument can go either way too. If I am using the GPS app on the phone I can't be doing something else with it. Sort of a catch 22. I wouldn't say that eliminating the standalone unit is worth the price of the standalone unit (or more), but that is just my opinion.

[reddawg]

btw does this tomtom app require internet connection. because i have no data plan for my iphone, all i do is use wifi on it when im home/school. so if i were to use it in the car, would i be fine without an internet connection on my phone? just wondering

I'm in the same boat. I used to have TomTom 6 on my PDA and I was able to search, route, re-route, etc, without an internet connection. I would suspect that since Apple has lifted the turn-by-turn GPS restrictions concerning firmware 3.0 in the AppStore, it should be fully functional without an internet connection.

[virtualcappy]

What's the difference between having a stand-alone unit and having to buy the "nav-pack" or whatever its called? Seems like a wash to me... I really hope they don't require you to buy their hardware... that would be a deal-breaker for me. As has been stated, XGPS is pretty good and I use it routinely.

[Amraam]

I'm very much looking forward to this, however if it's going to be more than £50 (combined price of stand and app) I'll have to give it a miss. I've not bought a satnav simply because of the price and as much as I'd love one on the iphone, truly making it an all in one device, I'd have to pass up here too for the same reason.

Fingers crossed it won't be too much. I'm hoping that for the fact that they are not having to manufacture the actual devices (only the stands with the GPS chip/hands free) that it will cost about 75% of a stand alone tomtom device.