iPhone was never a perfect navigational device, though it has Maps App but it hardly solved the purpose, it just shows your current position and roughly calculates distance between point A and B. The scenario increased a little on iPhone world, with release iPhone OS 3.0 and biggies like TomTom, Sygic etc. launched there turn by turn navigational App for iPhone. But to hail the maps were only limited to US, Canada and Australia .After so much wait now we have a hope here, Sygic has launched a full blown turn by turn navigational App for iPhone with maps of India.
Sygic and MapmyIndia, India’s leading map provider, have come together to launch ‘MapmyIndia Sygic Mobile Maps‘(iTunes Link). The application uses the MapmyIndia’s maps and Sygic software to offer the GPS navigation.
Look and feel:
The App looks just like any other navigational App, but the UI seems a bit complex.The bottoms are quite big, which is quite helpful to use the App while driving, It has option of using night mode and day mode, and the maps even has option of 2D and 3D view, which are quite basic for a navigational App. The worst part of the interface is the way of navigation, you cannot simply use the way we control our iPhone the simple flick, pinch to zoom, no it doesn’t works here. It seems like the UI is kind of straight rip off other touch screen phones, you need to use slider to zoom in or out, then there is directional keys to change the menu page etc. it is a really big set back for the App.
Connectivity & Operation:
The App took nearly about 3-5 seconds to get a valid GPS signal and was ready for operation. The App works quite good on EDGE and routing took nearly few seconds, the maps were quite accurate and even many shortcut roads were listed. Though the map doesn’t show many details when it is routed, only the routed road is highlighted and shown. But the good part is that the street names that appear are quite readable compared to other Apps.
Features:
The App currently supports only 29 languages, excluding any Indian local language which is quite impressive but local language support would have been greater. The App has max speed warning and Sygic App also gives you the ability to navigate from options like select from Address, Favorite, History, POI, ZIP code, Home, Point on Map, enter GPS position, City enter, Last Valid Position. It also offers fastest, economic, shortest, pedestrian and bicycle route computations and option to avoid, don’t avoid toll roads or not. The itinerary part is quite useful and pretty good.
Negative Points:
- The App eats the battery of iPhone like anything( problem with every GPS App).
- Navigation freezes when the vehicle resumes after halt.
- The map is not so much detailed.
- Local language missing.
- The interface is not built for iPhone.
- The App doesn’t warns when a prescribed route is not followed.
Positive Points:
- The App has lot of settings, customization is very easy and helpful.
- Night view is quite good.
- The size of App is way too small.
- It has inbuilt Quick Guide, Memorize position etc.
- It has extra apps like: World Clock, Calculator, Unit converter and Country info.
- The App quickly calculates a Alternate route when the route suggested by App is not followed.
Asides:
Though it is the first turn by turn iPhone navigation App for India, it still needs some refinements.The 220 MB App needs more details and improvements. It costs about $79.99 which is kind of quite basic for a navigation App. Will I recommend it?? The answer is kind of mixed, either wait for TomTom to launch there Indian version or if you want now to experience some turn by turn navigation on iPhone then go for this, you will not be disappointed.