The team over at Autoblog acquired an iPhone 3G that touts new GPS features and tested it out.
The verdict can be easily figured out just by the title of their post:
Should’ve bought a Garmin? Testing the iPhone 3G’s GPS capabilities
Before telling you the worst about iPhone 3G GPS, every single thing I knew was going to suck about GPS on the iPhone is 100% true.
- It is NOT real-time GPS. This is unbelievably ridiculous. Even regular cell phones have real-time GPS, meaning real-time turn-by-turn directions. This is NOT in the iPhone 3G.
- No re-routing. Again, ridiculous. I mean, c’mon.. even a sub-$100 GPS unit has a re-route feature, but iPhone 3G? Nope.
I had a few people state to me that now that iPhone has GPS there’s no reason to have a standalone GPS anymore.
I beg to differ.
GPS on iPhone absolutely sucks. A discontinued Garmin StreetPilot i3 built three years ago could run circles around it.
To Autoblog: Yes, you should’ve bought a Garmin.
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Turn-by-turn is coming to the 3G according to Engadget:
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/07/14/apple-says-turn-by-turn-gps-coming-to-iphone-copy-paste-not-a/
That’s pretty ridiculous, i was expecting a little more than that. At least it “could” be fixed with a software update but come on.
Still it would be useful for people like myself that will not be driving and need street directions while they are away from a computer. I am convinced more and more that the iPhone is for techy metrosexual gadget geeks that live in big cities and don’t drive.
From everything I’ve heard – everything about the 3G iPhone has been a disaster in one way or another. From everything I’ve seen and read, half of them haven’t activated properly and of the ones that do, a good portion of them don’t connect calls correctly. And when someone gets lucky to activate a phone that does connect a call they find it won’t connect to the AT&T 3G service.
iPhone = Fail. Couldn’t have put it better myself.
As per the Engadget link:
“Similarly, there are no technical issues preventing turn-by-turn directions, just other “complicated issues” (read: legal agreements) that need to be sorted out, and Josiwak expects developers to “amaze us.” as things “evolve.”"
That statement essentially means very little. Leave it to the developers? That’s pure laziness on Apple’s part.
All the talk about iPhone 3G being the best thing since sliced bread is just typical Apple fanboi’s touting their idealistic view of iPhone dominance
RIM > Apple when it comes to phones IMHO. The iPhone is nothing more than gloss with a extra few bells and whistles over the typical candybar.
Well Apple rushed out the platform to get the product noticed before anyone else could come up with anything better. http://kkomp.com/archives/214 Is it any wonder that not-a-lot works properly?
The posters above me overstate the problems experienced by owners of the new 3g iphone. I bought one on the day they were released, and though activating it took two hours longer than expected and although there were a few glitches with the software here and there, both were minor annoyances and both have since been fixed. I love my iPhone and especially love blasting out emails with record speed.
It’s amazing to me that people have become so pessimistic about todays technological advances. The Iphone has delivered on everything it said of would. The GPS on my phone works great, if you need turn-by-turn directions you should learn to read a map or stick with a GPS unit. On second thought maybe you should try sending an email, listening to music, or making a phone call from your Garmin. The Iphone is 200 dollar device that delivers complete multimedia and utility functionality.
Big E said it best . . . get your GPS nav system to send an email or text today’s stock quotes. If you live somewhere longer than 3 months, I’d think you’d know how to get where you are going. I’m a Realtor in a major metropolitan city that spans 50 miles in either direction. Tell me the cross-streets and I’ll be there in half the time it takes you to read a map. If you need a computer to tell you where to go, you shouldn’t be going anywhere, in the first place. But if you can get your $200 GPS system to email a contract while watching streaming video and convert speech to text on the fly, call me and I’ll eat my words in front of you. That’s if you can tell me where you are without needing me to mapquest the address. Although I could just do it on my iPhone on the way to meet you.
Very interesting article…bookmarked website
yea i have to say the phone overall is hot i love mine.but yea as far as gps goes 2 thumbs down i honestly dontknow that even if a 3rd party app comes out that it will be any good. some people are sayin the gps receiver isnt strong enough i kinda agree on how it atleast acts while im driving down the street it lags behind and mostly dosnt keep up always falling behind never really 100% dead on balls accurate as far as where you are on a street and ya know… if its a real gps using satellites then god damn it should be pinpoint as good as a garmin … yea its just a phone…but that was a key selling point ooooooooohh GPS!!!! for a phone well then it should deliver and whats with this you have to click next next next to navigate and go somewhere you mean it apple couldnt have it go to the next step automaticaly as you approach a turn another way to get into a damn accident by clickin the next arrows while driving STUPPPID!!!! a 15 yr old coulda put together a better phone and give people more of what they want … shit apple for 2 yrs has been holding out on copy cut paste a simple yet great feature we all want. if apple dont get things together quickly im sure there will be someone who give us what we want and better hey you guys see the garmin cell phone NUVI PHONE check it out not out yet just in development stages
im OUT
I consider myself very fortunate having owned an iPhone. I fell the other day and landed square onto the poor little guy…
It may have saved my life while giving up it’s own. Other than that it was a total piece of crap that had not one feature worth paying for……….. To be honest, if someone gave me another iPhone I would throw it in the nearest river if it could locate one for me…….
There are too many wrong things about Apple putting that crap on the market….. And please…. after spending 300 bucks to get locked into a 3 year phone plan, that I will need to spend 400 more to get out of…….. I don’t want to hear how they are mking a better one……… They may develope THIS….
Honestly…… Only a fool would buy an iPhone………… I was a complete idiot…
be well
The fact its that people is not aware from GPS system. They really need some time to get involved in this. interesting article