07-24-2008, 09:01 AM

I just came across this interesting article about the iPhone 3g's GPS...
The article states that the iPhone GPS may be of too low quality to ever support turn by turn driving directions.

Most people have been saying, 'the hardware is there, just not the software...' However, according to this article: the hardware may not even be there.

This information about the GPS not supporting 'turn by turn' directions is stated to be directly form apple...

However, at the end of the article, Greg Joswiak stated that this information is false and that the iPhone GPS is the same as in many phones that do support 'turn by turn' directions...

Anyway, it is an interesting read:
iPhone 3G GPS - Is it too small in the antenna department to be any good?

--
Also, this Engadget article says that TomTom already has its mobile navigation software up and running on the iPhone:
TomTom already has iPhone navigation software ready to roll



I guess only time will tell...

07-24-2008, 10:17 AM

TomTom already has iPhone navigation software ready to roll.

I've also read of at least one other turn-by-turn software that's coming. However, these apps may not be coming via the Apps store, but rather require an jailbroken iPhone. Reportedly, Apple is not "allowing" any navigation software besides their own to be installed on the iPhone for legal reasons. I imagine these legal reasons have something to do with mis-directions. Many a person has gotten into a accident and even died by paying too-strict attention to their navigation software, even with bad directions.

07-24-2008, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by lifeisabeach

TomTom already has iPhone navigation software ready to roll.

I've also read of at least one other turn-by-turn software that's coming. However, these apps may not be coming via the Apps store, but rather require an jailbroken iPhone. Reportedly, Apple is not "allowing" any navigation software besides their own to be installed on the iPhone for legal reasons. I imagine these legal reasons have something to do with mis-directions. Many a person has gotten into a accident and even died by paying too-strict attention to their navigation software, even with bad directions.

Still...

I doubt that a company as big as TomTom will only provide the app for jailbroken iPhones.
I think a deal will be worked out sooner or later.

07-24-2008, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by NPuter

Still...

I doubt that a company as big as TomTom will only provide the app for jailbroken iPhones.
I think a deal will be worked out sooner or later.

Yeah, Apple will cave sooner or later, just like they did since first refusing to even consider a SDK for 3rd-party apps. I'm actually looking forward to the release of the OpenMoko and Google Android phones. Those both promise to be more "open" and potentially more capable than the iPhone is now, especially considering all the restrictions Apple currently has in place for developers. Apple's fortunate to have a head-start, and maybe they'll relax once they get more comfortable with this or when they feel pressure from the upcoming competition.

07-24-2008, 10:03 PM

Yes is my answer

07-25-2008, 05:48 AM

It's possible that Apple itself may roll out turn-by-turn directions in an update.

07-25-2008, 06:47 AM

I doubt apple will do this by themselves, but yes the gps is perfectly suitable for turn by turn. My 600 dollar Garmin sometimes has worse signal then my iPhone haha. The cell tower triangulation helps a ton because it gives the phone a basic idea of where it is, then finding the gps's are easy.

They most definitely gotta have downloadable map packs though, even if it was like a gig I'm fine with that.

07-25-2008, 12:11 PM

From MacRumors.com....

"GearLive reports that Apple has seeded a beta version of iPhone 2.1 Firmware (Beta 1, Build 5F90) to developers.

According to the site, Apple has included new Core Location features that might suggest that turn-by-turn GPS could become a reality. Core Location can reportedly track your direction and the speed at which you are traveling.

Along with the new firmware, Apple has also seeded a new version of the iPhone SDK but the new SDK can not be used to submit Apps to the current App Store. There have been earlier reports that Firmware 2.0.1 had been spotted in the wild, but a 2.1 upgrade would presumably introduce more than just bug fixes.

Update: Besides Core Location speed and heading additions, Apple has also included early Push Notifications APIs that allows applications to process notifications in the background. Apple promised this feature by September."

07-25-2008, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by rich6490

From MacRumors.com....

"GearLive reports that Apple has seeded a beta version of iPhone 2.1 Firmware (Beta 1, Build 5F90) to developers.

According to the site, Apple has included new Core Location features that might suggest that turn-by-turn GPS could become a reality. Core Location can reportedly track your direction and the speed at which you are traveling.

Along with the new firmware, Apple has also seeded a new version of the iPhone SDK but the new SDK can not be used to submit Apps to the current App Store. There have been earlier reports that Firmware 2.0.1 had been spotted in the wild, but a 2.1 upgrade would presumably introduce more than just bug fixes.

Update: Besides Core Location speed and heading additions, Apple has also included early Push Notifications APIs that allows applications to process notifications in the background. Apple promised this feature by September."

Do you have a link to the article this came from...

I would love to read it.

Thanks

07-25-2008, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by NPuter

Do you have a link to the article this came from...

I would love to read it.

Thanks

I just read a similar article:

Apple has released a beta version of iPhone OS 2.1 to developers.

"iPhone 2.1 software update will bring improvements to the GPS functions. Specifically, the iPhone will not only know where you are, but in which direction you are going and how fast you are moving. This is being interpreted by many people as the coming of turn-by-turn GPS," Charlie Sorrel blogs for Wired.

"Proper turn-by-turn GPS would be a huge blow for existing satnav manufacturers," Sorrel writes.

"What this update does show us is that... iPhone 2.0 has the ability to turn the world of mobile devices upside down," Sorrel writes. "Now that there are a 3G and a GPS chip inside, and now that the App Store is up and running, the iPhone can mimic pretty much any other class of handheld device with the simple addition of software."

Apple to Garmin, TomTom, et al: "PWNED!"

07-26-2008, 12:15 AM

I don't know, if it came between TomTom via jailbreak and Apple's own turn-by-turn, I think I would go with TomTom. Apple has never done anything with GPS before, and TomTom is much more experienced. I just foresee Apple's attempt to be buggy at best.

07-26-2008, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by fleurya

I don't know, if it came between TomTom via jailbreak and Apple's own turn-by-turn, I think I would go with TomTom. Apple has never done anything with GPS before, and TomTom is much more experienced. I just foresee Apple's attempt to be buggy at best.

I own a TomTom 720 and while it is a nice unit, it's buggy as heck and fails to live up to it's potential for the price paid. I'd be willing to give Apple a shot since they seem to be so much more detail oriented about things. TT just seems to completely ignore the North American Market as a whole and the potential for someone like Apple to walk in and take away customers is pretty big if the software is even halfway decent.

07-26-2008, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by fleurya

I don't know, if it came between TomTom via jailbreak and Apple's own turn-by-turn, I think I would go with TomTom. Apple has never done anything with GPS before, and TomTom is much more experienced. I just foresee Apple's attempt to be buggy at best.

Yeah. Apple had never done a cell phone before last year, and we've all seen what a disaster that has been. Darned noobs. :/

07-26-2008, 12:17 PM

^^ true

07-26-2008, 02:32 PM

The locator's been very good at keeping up with me thus far, so I'm pretty sure turn by turn won't be any kind of problem.