Google yesterday stunned the world with free GPS navigation services (app) on the Android 2.0 OS. This debuts with the Motorola Droid which is getting decent reviews and a warm welcome as Verizons answer to the iPhone.
Google Navigator brings Maps, ability to search for a business by its name, traffic data, voice-assisted turn-by-turn navigation, integrated data from Satellite and Street View, and the ability to lookup gas stations, restaurants and other services when en-route to a destination already. This beats some highly expensive paid apps on the AppStore.
The utility that this app adds to Android devices in competing with iPhone, and other platforms is priceless. Google has also confirmed that they are committed to bringing their latest services like latitude and navigation to the iPhone and are working with Apple. However, the availability and actual execution of the services on iPhone would only as per Apples wish. The recent FCC investigation relating to the ban of Google voice app where the two companies are opposite each other with contradicting versions of the situation (with Apple claiming that they are still studying the Google Voice app and haven’t banned it and Google claiming that it was banned) does raise speculations that there might be some bad blood between the two. The case with navigation app won’t be like any other App Store app though, as the MAPS service is integrated into the iPhone and not an additional app.