TAG :: Toronto Area Geocachers » software

Today, Garmin has set another milestone by releasing a Navigation app for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad).

The application is a full 2D or 3D automotive navigation application, based on the popular StreetPilot series GPS units. It supports the usual functions including POI databases, routing to your contacts on your iPhone or even calling them, and of course, traffic (and even weather). Voice prompting with street names is included and it will operate in Portrait or Landscape modes.

This uses City Navigator NT data, and pulls it “over the air”, from Garmin servers. This is similar to Mapquest 4 Mobile. The advantage is you will not be sucking up a Gigabyte of space on  your device for local maps like Navigon’s 1.6GB for example. The disadvantage is that you will consume 3G data while using the application.  Traffic is also included (it’s $10/year on Navigon)

It is available only in the United States (UPDATE: USA and Canada) right now (so not available to us Canadians just yet, but the USA version has Canadian Maps). Cost is comparable to competing products, at $39.99 USD.
What makes this important is that it is the first real effort to supporting iOS device users, and likely a sign of things to come.

UPDATE: It’s showing up in the Canadian iTunes store too now, for $39.99 CAD