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AT&T releases dedicated iPhone navigation app

updated 12:30 pm EDT, Tue June 23, 2009

AT&T Navigator iPhone app

US carrier AT&T has released an official Navigator app for the iPhone. The app mirrors software available for other phones, providing turn-by-turn car navigation to addresses entered on the go, or else on a computer ahead of a trip. Driving commands are spoken aloud, and traffic updates as well as rerouting are handled in real-time.

Users can additionally search for gas stations according to price, and download map updates automatically at no extra cost. The app itself is free, but attached to a $10 monthly subscription, which is added to a person's AT&T bill. The company also warns that the app can be deleted without canceling the subscription. iPhone 3.0 firmware is required, along with an iPhone 3G or 3G S.

by MacNN Staff

(38)

TAGS :

iPhone, GPS, AT&T, iPhone apps

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applenut1
Senior User

Joined: Aug 2000

+20

06/23, 12:44pm | report spam | (2 replies) close Reply |
hmm

this breaks apple's terms and agreements for the app store.... free apps are not suppose to have paid content/subscriptions.

gettysburg11s@gmail.com
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2009

+5

06/23, 12:44pm | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
excuse me?

I still don't see why AT&T thinks that most consumers would like to pay 10 bucks a month for GPS navigation, when you can buy a GPS receiver online for less than $100.00 and not pay any subscription fees. Perhaps this would make sense for the business traveler, but come on!

vasic
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2005

+18

06/23, 12:50pm | report spam | (3 replies) close Reply |
Old ways

And here, AT&T is rearing its old ugly overbearing head! Much like Verizon charges for every single frigging thing (such as the right to move pictures you took with your phone off to your computer...!), now AT&T is charging for a service that doesn't really exist (an application that uses built-in hardware). Why charge a one-time price, when you can milk them forever.

Applenut1 is right; technically, this does break the terms for App Store.

b9robot
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Feb 2009

+17

06/23, 12:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
AT&T can keep its added c

AT&T can keep its added monthly cost. I won't be getting any thing that I need to rent to make it work, sorry.

QualleyIV
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

+6

06/23, 01:31pm | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
re: hmm

It would seem like this does break Apple's prohibition on paid content for free apps, but there are actually a lot of apps on the store that somehow do this. Take for example Salesforce.com and Marketcircle's Daylite. Both are "free" on the app store but require a paid subscription elsewhere. I'm not sure how Apple allows it (and frankly, I wish they didn't) but they do...

herbert68
Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2000

+8

06/23, 01:40pm | report spam | close Reply |
Sirius/XM does it too!

But I still agree with others here, this is not how I want my navigation service to work! I will not pay $120 per year if I can get the same (or better) service for much less.

Nice try AT&T ... I vote with my wallet and the vote is NO!

starwarrior
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2006

+3

06/23, 01:44pm | report spam | close Reply |
Another AT&T Knee Jerk

Screams of anguish and they will back pedal. There must really be a Public Relations r***** microtard in charge at AT&T. Being bombarded by Apple fanboys might finally get their attention. But it is doubtful.

mistercleanboise
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2009

+9

06/23, 01:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
Fight back

I just wrote an email to their customer service department through my online account. I ranted about unlimited data fees that don't include text, MMS, or tethering. I want them to know I will switch carriers the moment I have a choice unless they wise up. I suggest more people write to them. Maybe they will listen, but I really doubt it.

Adding all these new subscribers will be a waste of time if they jump ship later I think.

My two cents.

fattychance
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: May 2009

+5

06/23, 01:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
Where is the idiot...

I'm looking for the first idiot that would buy this. Seriously. I want the turn by turn inclusion as much as anyone but no way would I pay them monthly. If Apple allows them to kill Tom Tom and Navigon US maps...I swear I will drop the iPhone and go with an Android phone.I fear that may be the case since Navigon has Europe out...but nothing here yet.It doesn't require the stinking AT

Dark Goob
Forum Regular

Joined: Aug 2001

-5

06/23, 02:03pm | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
IT'S FREE ON PRE!

Yo people. Wake up and smell the AT&FAIL! It's free on Pre!

Dark Goob
Forum Regular

Joined: Aug 2001

-11

06/23, 02:03pm | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
IT'S FREE ON PRE!

Yo people. Wake up and smell the AT&FAIL! It's free on Pre!

emilygrae
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2007

+3

06/23, 02:07pm | report spam | close Reply |
What?

I mean... WHAT??!? They honestly expect me to pay $10/month to use this "free" app?? I don't know why this surprised me though, it is AT&T. If the Tom Tom app doesn't have maps I'm gonna go get a little Garmin for $100 and be done with it. Sheesh...

stainboy
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2005

+2

06/23, 02:29pm | report spam | (1 reply) close Reply |
please explain

from what i'm hearing, TomTom and other GPS vendors might be charging a high premium for the iPhone software and/or a monthly fee due to cannibalization of their hardware sales (Navigon's offering a special deal at $95!). so how does the AT&T solution differ? the arguments above don't make any sense. you're paying $10/month for auto updating GPS maps, real-time traffic, wi-fi hotspots and gas price searches. and one can add it to a bill you're already paying. please enlighten me as to why this is so horrible.

stainboy
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2005

+8

06/23, 02:40pm | report spam | close Reply |
never mind...

there's a more informative discussion going on at TUAW on this.

and MacNN missed the fact that maps are not stored on your phone, so this app became a whole lot less valuable...no phone signal, no work.

aiki
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2009

+3

06/23, 02:46pm | report spam | close Reply |
re: hmm (contracts)

applenut1, sorry dude. You are wrong. The only restriction of free apps and subscriptions and paid content is if the content is coming thru Apple's App store. If the subscription is a service independently billed such as what AT&T is doing then it's ok. There are already a bunch of apps that do this.

mgpalma
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

+4

06/23, 02:48pm | report spam | close Reply |
um, no.

Nothing to add.

Just go buy a $100 nav system and be done. Dumb move.

mgpalma
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

-1

06/23, 02:49pm | report spam | close Reply |
um, no.

Nothing to add.

Just go buy a $100 nav system and be done. Dumb move.

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

+1

06/23, 02:51pm | report spam | close Reply |
Tos

I don't know what you people remember, but apple made a big deal about having sales through the app store (like books and such).

Also, in case you missed it, this is no different than the xm radio app, which requires a subscription.

Oh, and maybe all you forgot that if it were a violation,Apple wouldn't have approved it!!!

testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

06/23, 02:55pm | report spam | close Reply |
Oh

When the iPhone was released, people talked how it allowed them to not have to carry seperate devices, the combination was worth the cost.

So now you wouldn't pay extra for the convenience of not carrying around a gps?

ccoulson
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2008

+3

06/23, 03:43pm | report spam | close Reply |
I Am Rich

It seems the developer who created the "I Am Rich" $999 App has been hired by AT&T!

ccoulson
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2008

-1

06/23, 03:44pm | report spam | close Reply |
I Am Rich

It seems the developer who created the "I Am Rich" $999 App has been hired by AT&T!

I hope TomTom doesn't follow AT&T's lead...

stevesnj
Mac Elite

Joined: Apr 2003

-2

06/23, 04:15pm | report spam | close Reply |
GPS or WiFi

I don't understand, if there is a GPS chip in the iPhone which connects to a satellite then why would i need AT&T subscription? Does this app use cell phone tower triangulation not GPS triangulation?

jdonahoe
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2006

+2

06/23, 04:33pm | report spam | close Reply |
What about Google Maps?

What about Google Maps? We took a trip recently and brought a cheap Garmin unit to put in the rental car. Others are right, who needs AT&T for turn by turn at $120/year when a cheap Garmin goes for ~$100.

h***, you could lose one a year and still be ahead.

howl
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2003

+2

06/23, 06:55pm | report spam | close Reply |
Need to be on edge/3G?

Do you have to be on the data network to use this? What about using it in Europe or anywhere else outside the US?

danangdoc
Junior Member

Joined: Jan 2007

+2

06/23, 09:10pm | report spam | close Reply |
Where is it?

I just went to the App store and searching with "navigate" it changed the query line to "AT&T Navigator: Monthly fee....". Etc, but no app displays to read about, let alone load. $10/month? Are they serious? Should be free! Fail! Big fail!

BigIslandMac
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jun 2009

+4

06/23, 09:14pm | report spam | close Reply |
No Free Lunch

Why are iPhone owners always expecting something for nothing? It may be that $10/month is too much for turn-by-turn navigation, but it's what all the carriers charge, not just ATT. Thus, it seems to be what the market will bear right now. Check out the Sprint and Verizon web sites. No one offers it for free (unless you get one of Sprint's "Everything" plans, which are pricey). And no, turn-by-turn navigation is not free on the Palm Pre, either.

Meovv
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2006

-1

06/23, 09:47pm | report spam | close Reply |
What?!

$10/month??? Plus taxes, fees and the usual extras for a total of probably well over $150 per year.

This is an outrage. AT&T should sell their apps on the App Store just like any other company.

I just realize that I actually hate that company. I urge everyone to boycott that app.

stephenfsnow
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2009

0

07/06, 02:57pm | report spam | close Reply |
Stop whining

Okay, go out and buy your cheap $100 Garmin. Those maps aren't going to last. Not sure what imaginary country you live in, but here roads and businesses change. Eventually you're going to have to pay $100 to upgrade the maps in that once "cheap" Garmin of yours, and if you don't want to find yourself saying "why isn't this newly constructed [road/business] on my map!" you're going to have to do it yearly. Your cheap Garmin isn't so cheap any longer.

Additionally you are also getting traffic information, which last time I checked, can only be done on your cheap Garmin with an additional accessory costing almost as much as the unit itself.

Anyway, I find that $10/month for maps and POI's that are continuously updated as well as traffic and gas price information, is actually not bad when you compare it to your "cheap" Garmin alternative.

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AT&T releases dedicated iPhone navigation app

updated 12:30 pm EDT, Tue June 23, 2009

AT&T Navigator iPhone app

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hmm

excuse me?

Old ways

AT&T can keep its added c

re: hmm

Sirius/XM does it too!

Another AT&T Knee Jerk

Fight back

Where is the idiot...

IT'S FREE ON PRE!

IT'S FREE ON PRE!

What?

please explain

never mind...

re: hmm (contracts)

um, no.

um, no.

Tos

Oh

I Am Rich

I Am Rich

GPS or WiFi

What about Google Maps?

Need to be on edge/3G?

Where is it?

No Free Lunch

What?!

Stop whining

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