When devoted GPS models changed paper maps, it felt revolutionary. Now, there is no scarcity of vastly superior smartphone navigation apps. Here is how fashionable apps outshine the GPS models of yesteryear.

Within the early 2000s, there was a superb probability you had a devoted Garmin or TomTom unit mounted in your automotive. You may even be one of many folks that also makes use of a devoted GPS unit. However right this moment, there is a a lot larger probability you utilize your smartphone, both mounted on your dash or tied into your automotive’s in-dash system by way of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It is such a typical association that youthful drivers is likely to be stunned to study that individuals used to have a single-purpose gadget only for the duty.

Whereas utilizing such gadgets was an unbelievable improve over having to depend on your reminiscence, instructions given by useful fuel station attendants, or paper maps, fashionable smartphone-based navigation apps are gentle years forward in these essential methods.

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Actual-Time Visitors Updates

Early GPS gadgets primarily targeted on primary navigation features, like displaying your location on a map and offering turn-by-turn instructions with out real-time site visitors updates. There have been two easy causes behind this design alternative. First, older GPS models lacked the required mobile knowledge capability to retrieve reside site visitors info and relied completely on utilizing a static knowledge set mixed with referencing the GPS satellite network. Second, an enormous supply of all that correct site visitors we take pleasure in right this moment is equipped by millions of smartphones sharing their location data, an association that did not exist when stand-alone GPS united debuted.

As expertise superior, GPS producers started integrating site visitors knowledge into their gadgets, permitting them to reroute customers primarily based on congestion. But it surely was too little too late, as smartphones had began rising in reputation, and with them got here early smartphone navigation. Quick-forward to right this moment, and the overwhelming majority of the smartphone navigation apps we use present real-time site visitors info, corresponding to highway closures and accidents, and might even change your route primarily based on site visitors circumstances.

4

Built-in Search Performance

Within the glory days of the GPS unit, you’d need to enter the complete deal with of your vacation spot, together with the road title, city or metropolis, state, and zip code. Even then, there have been events you were not capable of navigate on to your chosen deal with and must settle with being directed within the neighborhood.

It is a completely completely different ballgame now, although, with search performance constructed into smartphone navigation. This function lets you straight seek for places or addresses throughout the navigation app itself, without having to modify to a separate search bar, permitting you to rapidly discover a vacation spot whereas already navigating on the map, usually utilizing voice search and reside options as you kind. Even when you solely know a partial deal with, the related database will assist you to hone in on the deal with primarily based on what you realize.

And for a lot of the search performance in fashionable smartphone navigation apps you do not even want an deal with. An ideal instance of this might be in search of someplace to eat. When you’re in an unfamiliar city, and you are feeling hungry you possibly can kind the title of a well-known quick meals restaurant—say McDonald’s—and it will inform you the place the closest one relies in your location. You too can simply kind in “meals” or click on on a restaurant fast navigation button to see all the pieces near your present location. Whereas later mannequin GPS models had “factors of curiosity” databases, it does not even start to check to having an internet-connected location database at your fingertips.

3

Voice-Activated Instructions

In the identical method previous GPS models did not have real-time site visitors updates, additionally they did not have voice-activated instructions both. This function grew to become extra prevalent in later fashions as expertise superior. Older GPS models primarily relied on guide enter via buttons or the touchscreen to navigate, and these gadgets did not have the voice recognition expertise wanted for dependable voice instructions.

Additional, whereas some early premium navigation techniques, like these provided as built-in choices by Lexus and Cadillac, supported primary voice instructions (and later, premium choices from Garmin included voice instructions, too), the options weren’t extensively obtainable. By the point stand-alone GPS expertise included extra voice instructions, the smartphone was already taking a chew out of the market.

It is onerous to think about not having voice management now, however when you owned an older GPS unit with out voice instructions, there’s additionally an opportunity you by no means actually thought a lot about it. As a result of early GPS navigation models have been so restricted in what they may do, most individuals merely put within the deal with and drove to their vacation spot. Now, it feels pure to speak to your telephone and ask it to replace instructions or counsel a close-by restaurant.

2

Frequent Software program Updates

Let’s face it, when you ever used an previous GPS unit, you will know all too properly that it was a painful course of updating the software program. To begin with you needed to obtain the replace when it grew to become obtainable on the GPS producer’s portal—which did not occur all that always—earlier than then connecting the unit to your pc by way of USB, in order that you may then switch the replace onto the gadget—a course of which regularly took a number of hours. Second, when you weren’t blessed with a tool that had lifetime updates you may end up spending $100 to get an up to date map set. Or, within the case of built-in GPS models, taking the automotive into the dealership to get it manually up to date (and a good larger expense).

By comparability, smartphone navigation apps, corresponding to Google Maps, are completely up-to-date, as they pull info from huge and repeatedly up to date web databases. Not solely do such navigation apps obtain common updates, however additionally they get new options, map enhancements, and bug fixes. Furthermore, you possibly can even obtain maps for offline use, enabling navigation even with out an web connection so you possibly can take pleasure in the perfect of each worlds: freshly up to date maps with the steady offline expertise older GPS models supplied.

1

Multi-Modal Navigation Choices

Outdated automotive GPS models served one function and one function solely: to assist navigate you to your chosen vacation spot when driving. Whereas there have been, and nonetheless are, devoted outdoor-focused GPS models obtainable they have been additionally single-purpose and also you would not mount your mountaineering GPS unit in your automotive. That is the place smartphone navigation has the upperhand, because it offers multi-modal navigation. The overwhelming majority of smartphone navigation apps mean you can select between completely different modes of transportation, like strolling, biking, or public transport, offering route choices primarily based in your wants.

The one factor you may do with an previous GPS unit was stick it to the windshield of your automotive with a suction mount in clear view, so you may get instructions of the place you have been heading. You’d even have to hold a charging cable with you, which might energy the gadget by way of the car’s cigarette lighter. And when the unit wasn’t in use, say, while you’d reached your vacation spot, you’d need to stow it away in a big carry case that the majority of us hid out of sight within the glovebox.

There merely is not any of that playing around with a smartphone. If you’ll want to view the map while you’re heading someplace, you possibly can both have the gadget in your hand or in your pocket, utilizing headphones to obtain instructions when selecting the latter. We take it without any consideration now, however the means to make use of your telephone to navigate to a brand new metropolis, then use it to stroll round then metropolis (together with utilizing public transport), after which use it to navigate again to your automotive so you possibly can head house was mere science fiction within the heyday of dash-mounted GPS models.

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By now you have possible ditched your previous GPS unit in favor of smartphone navigation, however when you’re questioning which is better—Waze or Google Maps—we have got you coated.