Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Wow, I’m actually pretty surprised Navigon announced a new app for the iPhone today.  I thought TomTom would be the only major GPS company that would create an app for the iPhone’s new 3.0 software.  Navigon officially announced today about a new app, called MobileNavigator, that will make its way to the app store later this month. 

In an attempt to explore a new market for GPS software, and possibly to compete with their rival, TomTom, the new MobileNavigator app boasts many cool, typical Navigon features.  For example, it sports Reality View Pro, Real Roadsign Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, Speed Assistant, Day & Night Mode, POI information, “updated map material and intelligent navigation,” as well as a few other undisclosed features. 

You know how when you turn the iPhone 90 degrees, the orientation changes from portrait to landscape?  Well the GPS app will also change based on your iPhone orientation for your viewing comfort.  It is set to work “seamlessly” with the iPhone, in the sense it can navigate to an address saved in a contact, as well as stop when a call coming in, and then immediately resume after the call has ended.  It would definitely be a pain if after every phone call, the GPS resets itself and has to start from the beginning. 

As I previously mentioned, MobileNavigator will be made available later in June, presumably after the 3.0 software has been pushed out to all iPhones.  In addition, Navigon is going to offer two versions of the app, one will be a LITE, free version, and the other will cost money.  The LITE version comes with the core features but lacks active route guidance.  Meanwhile, the paid version comes with all the features listed above.  It will definitely be interesting to see how the Navigon app compares to the TomTom app and which of the two will prove to be more popular amongst the public.

Back in March, you may remember that I contacted Garmin, TomTom, and Navigon to see if they had anything doing with the iPhone.  At the time, I thought Navigon would be most likely to create an app for the iPhone, as they specifically said, “We would put the IPhone into the category of ‘potential opportunity.”  Hey, who knows, maybe Garmin will come out with their own app for the iPhone also. 

Via [Navigon Press Release]