Google just announced Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0 that’ll offer users free turn-by-turn navigation. You heard that right. Google Maps. Free Turn-By-Turn Navigation. Android 2.0. Google Maps Navigation has everything you’d expect to find in a GPS application–3D views, turn-by-turn voice guidance, and automatic rerouting–but also adds compelling new features that’s ‘built from the ground up to take advantage of your phone’s Internet connection’. Google lists seven features that are possible because Google Maps Navigation is connected to the Internet:
- Always have the most recent maps and business data
- Search with the power of Google (no need to know exact address, Google can do the legwork)
- Search by voice
- Live traffic data just like you see in the current Google Maps with real-time information
- Search along route allows you to search for results that won’t take you far from your route
- Satellite View — high resolution, 3D view of your route
- Street View — you’ll be able to see where you need to turn, what your final address is, etc
This is big for Google Maps and even bigger for Android 2.0. Turn-by-turn navigation has probably been the most requested feature for Google Maps and for Google Maps Navigation to come native on the Droid (with a slick car dock UI to boot) and future Android 2.0 devices is a huge bullet point victory over competing mobile smartphones. Eventually, Google Maps Navigation will make its way to other phones but there’s nothing like being first (and nothing like being free!).
Learn more about Google Maps Navigation here!
[official google blog]