Company adopts unusual pricing scheme

MapQuest has introduced a new iPhone application, which goes beyond the company's web service to provide narrated, turn-by-turn car navigation. Unlike most such apps, the MapQuest software itself is priced at only $1. The rest of the cost is in monthly and annual subscription fees, which cover updated maps and points of interest, as well route optimization based on traffic, accident and construction updates.

The app covers the United States and Canada, and by default includes over 16 million points of interest. Maps can be displayed in 2D or 3D, and a full map corridor is downloaded at the beginning of each trip, allowing the app to more quickly reroute whether or not it maintains a connection. Users can search for destinations manually, or else select from Address Book contacts, or tap on-map icons to find businesses like hotels and gas stations.

MapQuest Navigator subscriptions cost $4 for 30 days, $10 for three months or $30 for a year; a 14-day trial is included by default. Only travelers in America can exploit traffic-based routing. The app requires iPhone 3.0 firmware, but only approximately 6MB of space.

by MacNN Staff