3G iPhone GPS Navigation in South Africa - Gimmick or Godsend?
I have been chatting to quite a few people lately about the eagerly awaited 3G iPhone which is soon to be released in South Africa (if you haven’t heard about it yet, you must be hiding under a seriously large rock my friend). One of the topics being hotly debated (apart from the obvious pricing issue of course) is that of the A-GPS (assisted GPS) navigation functionality on the new iPhone.
Touted as the latest in GPS technology, A-GPS is quite simply the addition of cellphone tower and Wi-Fi hotspot triangulation calculations, to the standard GPS signal. Whilst this is not really new technology, it is a first for it to be included in a device like this in this country. There is, of course, no information on this particular feature of the phone on the Vodacom.co.za website (where you can pre-order the iPhone in South Africa) and I have my reservations about the relevance of the information, as provided on the Apple.com website, regarding the 3G iPhone’s GPS navigation functionality for South African users.
From the Apple.com website:
“Find your location, get directions and see traffic — all from your phone… …Maps on iPhone shows you live traffic information, indicating traffic speed along your route in easy-to-read green, red and yellow highlights…”
Location? Directions? Well yeah of course, just don’t bank on the traffic information in South Africa though, since we don’t yet have a TMC (Traffic Message Channel) system in place in this country (give it another year or two - they are working on it but are still in the early stages of dealing with ICASA and licensing of the FM frequencies. They also still need to get a massive government buy-in for this system).
Also on the Apple.com website:
“Just like Google Maps on your computer, Maps on iPhone lets you switch between map view, satellite view and a hybrid view of both. Multi-Touch makes the difference: Tap to zoom, pan and change your view on the move…”
Ummm… Ok Great, but please stop to consider the present poor quality (level of detail) of, and coverage of, South Africa on the Google maps, as well as the following warning buried in the small print on their website:
“Maps, directions and location information depend on data collected by third parties. These data services are subject to change and may not be available in all geographic areas, resulting in maps, directions or location information that may be unavailable, inaccurate or incomplete.”
It is not stated exactly which mapset they will be using for South Africa and, since a GPS navigation system is only as good as the maps that are being used, I seriously wonder just what sort of navigation functionality we will be getting.
Personally though, I can’t wait to get my grubby little paws on my own iPhone (for all those other features of course) and test it for myself and I would be really interested to know whether you will be queuing for one and if so, why? Please drop your comments in the box below…
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The E1000 Motorolla had A-GPS and that was years ago. Vodacom just disabled it in South Africa for some reason.
> 2008-07-11 19:12:14
>
> The E1000 Motorolla had A-GPS and that was years ago.
> Vodacom just disabled it in South Africa for some reason.
Because Vodacom’s infrastructure did not support Assisted GPS at the time.
I have the 1st edition iphone , which has location triangulation using wifi and cellphone towers . Honestly , i wont get the new iPhone. Its a bit faster and the gps will be practically useless if you must rely on googlemaps , not only are the maps not really updated but also the question of who wants to download every inch of every map as far as you go ? Why not have proper map software like garmin or tomtom ? There is also no turn but turn instructions .. that on a gps enabled phone is just plain wrong !!
I say this only due to the following note in the iphone SDK :
The iPhone software development kit license says:
“Applications may not be designed or marketed for real time route guidance; automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft, or other mechanical devices; dispatch or fleet management; or emergency or life-saving purposes.”
Meaning that either apple will make their own map software or we will never see it on the iPhone. Apple forbids anyone to write software that uses the gps.
Only time will tell if apple changes their tune. I can clearly see the money making scheme in apple’s contract , they wont let another company make money off them. If they cant make the money off gps software on their own hardware then no one else are allowed to.
business is business …
Looks like Apple are working on turn by turn software , we will know for sure in future releases.
check out http://www.gearlive.com/news/article/q208-apple-beta-testing-iphone-21-firmware/ .
“While many consumers are still trying to track down and get their hands on a new iPhone 3G, it seems that Apple is already plowing ahead with a new firmware revision. OS version 2.1 has been seeded to developers and contains a number of enhancements and changes, many of which are focused around the GPS functions. Core location services will be updated to provide information about your direction and speed. Could this signal an impending arrival of some turn-by-turn navigation software or support? We certainly hope so, but we’ll have to wait and see as there’s no telling when this one might reach general release. Word on the street is that Apple has also implemented a beta version of it’s push background notification service in the 2.1 release as well. You all know how much we’re waiting for that… Background notification FTW!”
Jaco, this would indeed be interesting to see if (and when) Apple do finally make a commitment to the South African navigation market. I also believe that the only reason they do not allow 3rd party development of real time route guidance apps is because they are planning on doing it themselves. The only problem I still see is with the quality and accuracy of the Google map coverage of SA. They seriously need to update their maps
We are already seeing reports that Apple are opening up the iTunes store (for apps only at this stage) to the South African market and this is a big step in the right direction but I still get the feeling that they are only testing the market. If they don’t see the money rolling in sooner rather than later, those of us buying into the hype now will be left holding a very pretty, very expensive, but very normal cellphone and not much more.
And so I wait with baited breath in the hope of being proven wrong
Well here we are - the iPhone release in South Africa (got one of the first ones Friday morning) and …… The maps SUCK. Google Maps have so many holes in them they are practically useless here in RSA. I sincerely hope that TomTom get their way and publish their maps/GPS system on the iPhone. I’d buy it in a shot! They have the system working - Only the high and mighty Apple are holding them back. Come on Apple - we paid VERY good money so let us use the thing!
South Africa is simply not a worthy market for Apple or Google to make any type of commitment to, so forget it. Google does not even allow Wiki type editing of maps of South Africa, they do allow it in many African countries, but not South Africa, hell even Pakistan and Zimbabwe have user editable maps.
http://www.google.com/mapmaker have a look at South Africa its shocking, especially as we’re supposed to be the most advanced African country.
There are maps available for the iPhone via Safari, though without GPS routing, just in case you loose your garmin or mapbook.
maps.mobione.ro (type it into iPhone Safari, it defaults to Bucharest or something, but you can search from there) At least it has all the streets that Google doesn’t. Not elegant and not really a solution, but Its helpful when walking around and looking for a particular street. And you’re stuffed if there isn’t any reception.
Hi Mike
Good point but if I look at all the countries listed on that Mapmaker site I see none of Apples “Primary Markets” are listed either. Does this not possibly mean that Apple are planning on improving their maps for their primary markets themselves and are simply relying on the public to keep the rest updated (whilst marketing “user editable” maps as a bit of a cover for them not spending money on maps of countries where they cannot make that money back)?
If so (and I pray that it is) then that would mean that South Africa is finally being recognised by Apple as a good market.
If not? Well then yes, we are a bit stuffed aren’t we?