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It would have been ridiculous for anyone to expect GPS companies to offer their mobile applications for free on iPhone or other platforms. In fact, you’d be lucky to get your hands on a premium GPS app for less than $50. TomTom, Navigon, and Magellan all have GPS apps that cost in the $70-$100 range. Add the additional GPS kit you can get from TomTom and Magellan, and you are looking at a $200 bill for the privilege of using a top GPS app on your phone.

TomTom has recently announced a new special for the holiday season, offering the U.S. version of its GPS app for a more affordable price (less than $50). That’s $50 more than what you’d have to pay for Google Maps Navigation, that is if it was available for use on iPhone. For a while, GPS companies such as TomTom looked destined to dominate the mobile GPS market, but Google’s new (and free) GPS app has put a serious dent in that plan. The trouble is Apple and Google can’t get along, and that’ll remain the case for the near future. Nevertheless, is it really worth investing in a pricey GPS app when you may get Google’s innovative GPS app on iPhone in the future?

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Don’t we all wish that the iPod Touch came with the GPS functionality all along. iPod Touch may not be a phone, but it is a decent mobile gaming device and beats most mobile handheld devices on the back of Apple iTunes and the apps available there. The iPhone has many advantages over the iPod, and while Apple is poised to add video-capture capability on iPod Touch in the near future, the iPod Touch will continue to play second to iPhone.

The iPhone has become quite popular among GPS manufacturers. These companies may have lost some of their market to mobile apps on iPhone, but they are able to offer their technology on this tiny device without having to manufacture their own hardware. So the margins could potentially be higher for these companies. It’s no wonder that almost all top GPS companies are now offering their service on iPhone. Whether it’s Magellan, TomTom, or Navigon, there are plenty of “premium” GPS apps available for iPhone. A few of these companies made the mistake of only targeting iPhone owners. The iPod Touch may not have the GPS capability available on iPhone, but it’d be a mistake for any business to discount that market. Read the rest of this entry »

So you have finally decided to invest in a decent GPS application for iPhone? Or maybe you just want to enhance your phone’s functionality. Whatever the case, there are some decent options available on the market. TomTom may have been the first company to develop a GPS kit for iPhone, but it won’t be the last, and while we are waiting for Navigon and maybe even Garmin to come up with their own GPS kits, here are 4 kits you shouldn’t miss:

Magellan Premium GPS Car Kit: just a few days ago, we heard about Magellan finally bringing its app to iPhone store. With this kit, you can use that app on your iPhone and iPod Touch (as the kit comes with its own receiver to boost your phone’s capability).

TomTom Kit for GPS: if you happen to own TomTom GPS for iPhone, you may want to invest in one of these mounts as well. It keeps your gadget secure and essentially turns it into a real GPS.

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One has to wonder what these top GPS manufacturers are thinking by resisting the temptation to enter the iPhone GPS market. It’s true that their business has been affected badly by the emergence of mobile GPS devices, and the hardware sales are not going as well as they used to. But it’s not as if these companies have a lot to lose by giving the software side of the business a look. Navigon is one of those companies that realized early on there was more money to be earned in the software side of things. That’s why it went back to its roots after a fairly short period of time to develop a GPS application for iPhone.

Garmin may be still struggling to cope with the fact that Nuvifone will not be its way out, but TomTom has already developed a decent app for iPhone and has added a mount kit to go with it. TomTom doesn’t shy away from charging a hand and leg for its app either, probably making much more money with its iPhone app that it ever did through TomTom’s hardware business. Magellan is the latest company to enter the iPhone app market. The company may be a bit late in the game, but it’s better late than never. Magellan is known for developing affordable GPS units, but it’s margins will be much higher as far as Magellan GPS app is concerned.

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Google can make a killer GPS application as well. One has to feel bad for GPS companies that are taking a beating from their mobile counterparts. In a move that has shaken the mobile and GPS industries, Google has announced that Android phone owners will get Google Maps Navigation (a fancy name for a GPS) with a host of premium navigation features. Unlike TomTom GPS for iPhone or other top GPS apps, you don’t need to pay Google to take advantage of this feature. Yet, you get a host of features that are available on those fancy apps.

The app allows you to search for your favorite POI on your Android phone fast. It also supports Voice Search, which could be useful if you want to run a hands free system. Traffic and satellite views are both useful in helping you find you way around. Did I say the app is offered for free to Android phone owners?

Google Maps Navigation is currently being offered on Android, but Google hasn’t closed the door on bringing the app to iPhone. Instead of bickering and complaining a bit more about how unfair Apple has been, Google has decided to introduce a must have service to build a case for having more of its services offered on iPhone. Apple has a difficult decision to make. On the one hand, iPhone owners can really use such a killer application. On the other hand, Apple has burned some bridges with Google, and while it should not beg for Google’s service, these two companies should find an amicable way to put the Google Voice issue behind them.

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