First iPhone nav app, but not from TomTom: Insight - Software

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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First iPhone nav app, but not from TomTom

By Derek Fung, CNET.com.au
June 22, 2009
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/insight/software/soa/First-iPhone-nav-app-but-not-from-TomTom/0,139023769,339297052,00.htm

The first navigation app with turn-by-turn instructions has hit iPhone's App Store and — guess what? — it's not the TomTom app that was revealed at this year's Apple developer's conference to such fanfare.

Called Sygic Mobile Maps Australia, it's available now on the store for AU$79.99. The Aussie version features local maps from Whereis, in addition to a set of Kiwi maps, that are stored on the device. According to Sygic, Mobile Maps for the iPhone features turn-by-turn voice guidance, automatic re-routing, lane guidance and speed limit info, as well as red and speed light cameras. So, essentially, it's an iPhone-ised version of the company's Mobile Maps app that's already available on Symbian and Windows Mobile devices.

Also available is a pricier US$79.99 (AU$100) version branded as Sygic Mobile Maps South East Asia that features Tele Atlas maps for Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Two other versions are being worked on, one for Europe, including up to 44 countries, and one for the US, Canada and Mexico, although a release date for those versions has yet to be set.

We hope to have a copy of the app shortly, with a review to follow. Until then, check out the photo gallery below.

First iPhone nav app, but not from TomTom

Map screen

Although all the screenshots that we've seen so far are in portrait mode, but according to Whereis there's also a landscape mode that occurs automatically when you tilt the iPhone.

(Credit: Sygic)

Main menu

Big icons but, by the looks of it, no swipe to scroll functionality.

(Credit: Sygic)

Destination entry

Mobile Maps seems to use a skinned or custom keyboard.

(Credit: Sygic)

Point of interest

Detailed point of interest (POI) information, not to mention a free advert for Deno's Diner.

(Credit: Sygic)

Route overview

It's a long way from Denman to Deno's.

(Credit: Sygic)