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Poll: Has the 3G-capable iPhone killed the GPS as we know it?

By Bonnie Cha on 10 June 2008

commentary Just two months ago I questioned the rush to add GPS navigation to mobile phones and smartphones. Now I've had a change of heart and not just because of Steve's new iPhone 3G.

OK, maybe I was wrong. I'm a big enough person to admit it. You see, a couple of months ago, I wrote that there was no way that smartphones and mobile phones with integrated GPS would take over the portable navigation device (PND) space, but now I'm having second thoughts. I'm not saying that PNDs will go the way of the dodo, but it could go the way of the PDA when smartphones really came on the scene. They'll still exist, but the demand will be less and their reach will be limited. They'll be an afterthought. Why the change of heart? Does this have anything to do with today's announcement of the Apple iPhone 3G with integrated GPS? Yes (more on this in a bit), but I also started having these thoughts over the weekend.

Will the GPS-enabled iPhone kill the portable navigation device as we know it?

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You see, I had to venture out to Oakland for a housewarming party on Saturday and if you're familiar with the Bay Area, you know that Oakland is just a hop, skip, and a jump from San Francisco, but it's unfamiliar territory to me as I rarely venture outside my San Fran bubble. So there I am sitting in my apartment, looking up directions on my laptop and feeling pretty foolish for not having an in-car GPS (hey, I didn't have anything to review at the time!). I also couldn't print out directions (hard to do without a printer) nor did I feel like scribbling down instructions on a piece of paper. Then it dawned on me that I could use my BlackBerry Curve 8310 and its navigation app to get the full shebang — colour maps, text- and voice-guided directions, real-time tracking, and more.

It wasn't my ideal choice, since I was worried about viewing maps on the smaller screen, but it's all I had at the time. I entered my destination onto the Curve, hit the road, and got to the party without a hitch and with a new appreciation and perspective on this type of GPS convergence. I was able to plot multiple stops along my route, and the voice directions were loud enough that I could get away without looking at the screen much. In short, I pretty much got the experience of a standalone device GPS device on my smartphone.

So going back to today's iPhone 3G announcement. Even before today's official unveiling, there was a report from Popular Mechanics that GPS manufacturers were "shaking in their boots" about the prospect of a GPS-enabled iPhone and, now I'm thinking, rightfully so. It's not that the iPhone is the first smartphone to offer this feature. Far from it; there's the Nokia N95 and 6110 Navigator, as well as various BlackBerry models. Granted, we haven't yet had a chance to check out the GPS capabilities on the new iPhone but I think that if there's any mobile that's going to threaten the PND industry, it would be the iPhone and here's why.

Like the some features offered on other smartphones — web browsing and multimedia, for instance — it's not that the iPhone offers anything revolutionary but what it offers is a better user experience. Panning in and out of maps, the redraw rate — it's all smoother on the iPhone. Plus, you benefit from a 3.5-inch touchscreen, which is right in line with the entry-level PNDs on the market today. Add to that the US$199 price tag — albeit locked into a 24 month AT&T contract &mdash the fact that you're getting about three gadgets in one and you're looking at a very attractive package. So with all this functionality, what's to attract a consumer to a standalone product? Garmin seems to have acknowledged the changing landscape as it has already announced (although it has yet to be confirmed for Australia) Nuvifone, and TomTom reportedly has navigation software for the iPhone ready to go.

Of course, there will always be purists and, again, I'm not saying that portable navigation systems will be disappear for good, but as these converged devices become more sophisticated, more affordable, and easier to use, you have to wonder about the future for PNDs.

Do you think I'm totally off base here? How do you think the iPhone 3G, or any GPS-enabled phone, will affect the GPS industry? Let us know in the comments section below and, of course, don't forget to vote in our poll.

Topics: iphone, 3g, gps, pnd, cache, cms, lib, home, mkdir, line

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Comments (14)

  • Verbal commented on 03/08/2009 22:15 Report abuse

    I have been using my nokia e65 with a bluetooth gps in Sydney, San Franciso, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, New York, Boston, New Jersey, Orlando & Tampa Bay. It is accurate and has been a treat.

    I would not trade it for any PND or a in-car satnav.

  • ian9toes commented on 01/07/2008 21:57 Report abuse

    For me the smaller the phone the better, and for a Car GPS, the bigger the screen the better. Unless they get the phone to fold out to something 4 times it's normal size like something out of the Jetsons, then I'd still prefer to have two units.

  • Ozroder commented on 21/06/2008 19:17 Report abuse

    I have chosen buying the HTC Touch Diamond phone for its GPS capability over fitting my 4WD with GPS.

    Reasons.....true portability, appears just as capable as a fixed unit......of course then theres the phone

  • Daryl commented on 17/06/2008 22:27 Report abuse

    There is a wider market for GPSes other than car navigation. They are used in hiking where car units are awkward to use. hiking units can be used in boats and aircraft where a map is of secondary importance

  • Stranger commented on 17/06/2008 06:44 Report abuse

    Smart phones are surely only as good as the reception that they recieve. Until there are satelite smart phones there will still be a place for PND's

  • Dodgerbrother commented on 15/06/2008 17:47 Report abuse

    If it doesnt tell me where I need to go while I am on the phone that is pausing (not muting) my MP3 Book I am listening to ( and actually indexes so I listen to one track after another. Not track 1 then 10,11,12,etc unitl I get to 20 where I get to listen to track 2) then hey it isnt going to work for me. Especially if it cant handle a hardwired headset that is velcroed into my helmet and rain at 110 Kph

  • Jimmy Bish commented on 11/06/2008 13:49 Report abuse

    If phones can offer a fully functioning GPS without the need for a data connection or an ongoing subscription cost (*cough* N95), then they are more than enough for most requirements.
    Hopefully the iPhone will allow us to have voice navigation and offline map access so it is actually competitive.
    Otherwise, I'm prepared to spend a little more to start with so I have a fully functioning GPS with no hidden costs.

  • pitufon commented on 11/06/2008 13:03 Report abuse

    iphone screen is half the size of my gps - i am on the road quiet a lot so i need to be able to glimpse over to my gps an be able to see clearly - itll be while before i get rid of my gps -

  • E90owner commented on 11/06/2008 07:28 Report abuse

    I’ve had a Nokia E90 for over a year now and the iPhone does not offer any services which the E90 doesn't, except for a large touch screen. The iPhone is far from revolutionary; if you compare it side by side with current market models (such as Nokia, sony-ericsson, HTC or even the dreaded blackberry) you find that it's feature set is lacking in several key areas and it’s success is down to good marketing.
    Not that I mind that, it’s extremely interesting to see that most people, even the so called “tech savvy”, are led by the commercial press. In fact, if my E90 broke tomorrow I’d downgrade to an iPhone in an instant. Hey, they look cool and you can play tilt games, who wouldn’t?

  • bharlor commented on 11/06/2008 00:13 Report abuse

    I used to run individual devices, until the GPS was stolen and the phone broke. I have been running a PDA (only a 2G phone) with Copilot navigation software supported by bluetooth GPS for 18 months - its been great. I had no desire to carry more than one device, which also means only one cradle in the car and one charging adaptor at home. I wouldn't change back to separate units.

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