Software

Google Maps Navigation is a free, voice navigation app for Android 2.0

posted by PhoneArena Team / Oct 28, 2009, 2:25 PM

Google Maps Navigation is a free, voice navigation app for Android 2.0

Google Maps Navigation got announced earlier today, just a bit later after Google stated that Android SDK featured support for Android 2.0. Maps Navigation is a free navigational program that offers voice guidance and search, 3D views, automated route re-calculation and instant, Google Maps-based traffic alerts. Similarly to the standard version of Google Maps, Maps Navigation needs active internet connection in order to function properly.

The first device to run Android 2.0 will probably be the Motorola DROID and its owners will be able to take advantage of Google Maps Navigation on unpacking the handset. The DROID have already been announced by Verizon and is expected to hit the shelves across the US on 6 November.

Motorola DROID Specifications

You can learn more about Google Maps Navigation by watching the video below or visiting the official website.

source: Google

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9 Comments

1. rehnhart

Posts: 103; Member since: Mar 27, 2009

This is awesome...as if I needed another selling point to buy the Droid.

posted on Oct 20, 2010, 1:44 AM 0

2. HOVA

Posts: 564; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

If they start offering this on more phones, it'll be death to GPS subscriptions from carriers which is nice. Could also mean death to those modules made by TomTom, Garmin, etc for cars... This could get interesting...

posted on Oct 28, 2009, 3:02 PM 0

3. friendlyfisher

Posts: 3; Member since: Oct 28, 2009

Doubt that would ever happen. First of all many don't want to pay for data packages. Especially when it only cost $60 for a portable GPS device. That's 2-months worth of data and you have a GPS unit that you don't have to pay any other monthly service on. Second, GPS on phones requires data service and it uses the internet to update the map and to triangulate your location based on the built in GPS. What if you're in an area where you get no cell service. Then it's pretty much useless.

posted on Oct 28, 2009, 3:30 PM 0

4. HOVA

Both of their stocks have actually declined today... Just connecting the dots a little. I see what you're saying and now that you piont that out your'e probably right. I doubt they'd go belly-up, but this could seriously effect them. True, they have to pay for the data plan, but most major carriers are leaning towards requiring it anyway on smartphones, and smartphones are generally the phones that will offer such applications. It's probably too early to say either way, just crazy how both Garmin and TomTom have declining stock quotes today, the day this was introduced...

posted on Oct 28, 2009, 3:38 PM 0

5. MTLance unregistered

lol it might have big impacts in USA because the data plans are much cheaper than Australia and New Zealand. And the con is having a internet navigation software is the speed of the internet, I use a TomTom app on the iPhone because I'm sick of paying ridiculous price for the data.

posted on Oct 28, 2009, 4:54 PM 0

8. vzw fanman

Posts: 1977; Member since: Dec 11, 2008

ya but google maps has live traffic updates, weather and it's convinient because it's also a phone. well i've never ran into problems navigating, but then again i am on the verizon network where i always get service. :-)

posted on Oct 28, 2009, 8:07 PM 0

6. JeffdaBeat unregistered

Crap! This was the one thing I wanted Google to do...now that Apple has pissed them off, I guess I won't get it for my iPhone. Oh well...thank God Navigon is awesome... This, however, is amazing.

posted on Oct 28, 2009, 5:32 PM 0

7. kilari

Posts: 49; Member since: Oct 28, 2009

SUCK! I want navigation and pdf support in my G1! Damn it, and there is still a year on my G1 contract. I hate built in obsolescence.

posted on Oct 28, 2009, 6:13 PM 0

9. shahrooz

Posts: 792; Member since: Sep 17, 2013

PA sent me here (http://www.phonearena.com/news/Did-you-know-Google-launched-turn-by-turn-directions-in-Maps-six-years-ago_id75234) Hmmm, respect to elders.