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I'm quite happy with my TomTom app.

They didn't entirely rule it out, but it seems to me that free turn by turn is a significant advantage for Android that they wouldn't necessarily want to give away. Since Nokia already offers it on its phones, Google has nothing to lose by making it available there. But iPhone may be a trickier case since Android competes directly with iPhone.

In some ways it is better for the platform to not get Google's free turn-by-turn. If Google gives it away for free it kills competition which means iPhone users only get any new innovations at Google's whim. Right now there is a lot of competition which means lots of new features.

I have been using the free MapQuest 4 Moble app and am VERY happy with it.

jdb8167, on 23 April 2010 - 10:11 AM, said:

How so? Others are free to give away maps or offer me a compelling reason to pay for the maps. Nokia offers free maps with their phones and there is no shortage of alternatives. Would you say the same if Steve Jobs decides to offer free turn-by-turn in the next iPhone?

This post has been edited by KPOM: 23 April 2010 - 10:18 AM

masahs, on 23 April 2010 - 10:11 AM, said:

I tried it out after it was reviewed here on Macworld.com. It's definitely better than trying to use the default Maps app for navigation, though I still like my standalone Magellan GPS better. The Magellan pronounces street names (whereas MapQuest just says turn left/right in 100 feet), and in once case MapQuest said "turn now" right after I'd made the turn. I'm keeping it around though, since it's still good for backup in cases where I have the iPhone but not the Magellan.

A friend of mine has a T-Mobile G1 and likes his phone's Google Navigation better than his TomTom GPS. Choices are good.

"Google dashes hopes of free iPhone turn-by-turn GPS"

What, do you think the makers of Android are stupid?

KPOM, on 23 April 2010 - 10:17 AM, said:

If other companies give it away for free, how will they pay their developers? I would prefer to pay and have competing products and not have ads using up screen space.

I personally don't care if Google provides free turn by turn mapping. Their stuff depends on an internet connection anyway. Anyway, there are some fairly inexpensive alternatives out there.

One of my favorite, although it uses an internet connection too, is Motion X GPS. It works really well and even before the advent of text to speech was fairly accurate. If I want if for a month, I pay a small fee of $2.99 for 30 days or $24.99 for a whole year. Very reasonable indeed.

This app is highly rated. The compass feature works very well for a non 3GS iphone and the ipod integration and control access is flawless.

Besides, has everyone forgotten that Apple purchased the mapping company Placebase last July. I foresee them coming out with there own free or inexpensive GPS Driving Directions App.

KPOM, on 23 April 2010 - 10:07 AM, said:

While I'd like to see the Google app come to the iPhone, it's not as big a deal as you may think. If you haven't already tried, it, you might be interested in MotionX GPS Drive. Okay, it isn't free, it costs 99 cents, but it delivers the same thing as the Google app. Some aspects are better some are worse, but it's on par.

scubarider, on 23 April 2010 - 12:36 PM, said:

An Apple mapping program...
Perhaps all roads will lead to Cupertino.
Or maybe everyone will revolve around Steve. (Never mind, that's happening already)

You can easily use Google Maps on an iPhone - now you have dual boot with Android up and running.

maddoguk, on 24 April 2010 - 07:26 AM, said:

I realize that you are probably joking but in the off chance that you are serious, you should know that the Android running on iPhone hack is no where near ready for people to use it. Even the developer called it alpha quality. It also only currently runs on the original iPhone, not the iPhone 3G or 3GS. I can guarantee that it isn't something that can be done "easily".