With the update, Android OS will strengthen its position against in-car global positioning system
There has been launched a software update for Google’s Android OS which will equip the smartphones running over Android OS, will get GPS functionality. This will eventually help them to gain an edge over in-car global positioning systems.
The update which is for version 1.6 or later, will equip the smart phones running over Android OS with numbers of new features such as turn-by-turn navigation and Google Street View.
Describing the superiority of GPS capable Android smartphones over traditional stand-alone GPS devices, Google said that users always get up-to-date maps and directions with GPS Android smart phones owing to the handset’s seamless internet connectivity. And, compared to this, for refreshing such information in regular GPS devices, users are required to connect them to a computer on a regular basis.
Further, Android being Google’s product, lets the user to access company’s database which then removes the need of entering the destination in form of address, rather users can get GPS info by just entering the name of a business or landmark.
And, since, Apple’s iPhone also has Google maps, handset users can go for real-time traffic information displayed as an overlay on their route.
GPS capable Android handset will also offer Google’s popular Street View features offering users the ground-level photos of the streets, he is looking for. Another feature of GPS capable smartphones will be the option of setting the handset to automatically shift into Street View on being near to the destination. Moreover, with updated Android devices, satellite photographs could also be displayed to give an overhead view of a route.
The handset running over Android 2.0 or later including Motorola Milestone, Google Nexus One, Acer Liquid, Sony Xperia X10, HTC Desire and HTC Legend will also get voice search capability with new update, and will let the user to input the destination through speech than by typing.
However, with so much said about the superiority of GPS capable Android handsets over traditional stand-alone GPS devices, there really exists a huge drawback in the former which is of being dependent on cellular connection for offering GPS service contrary to the latter offering GPS support via satellite signals. This also indicates towards possible limited capability of GPS capable Android phones in areas with poor cellular signals.
Using Android GPS will attract data charges; however the data usage is minimal over the fact that 20-kilometer trip requires only 200 KB of data, Google said. The situations which can lead huge charges include long journeys, and using GPS in country other than the home country with roaming charges coming into effect in latter case.
Finding an incoming challenge from Google’s GPS enabled Android handset, traditional GPS makers including Garmin, and TomTom have also started adding more features and functions to their devices. The first step in this direction has already been taken by TomTom which recently equipped its GPS device with a downloadable option offering users their directions spoken in the voices of Star Wars characters including Darth Vader and Yoda.
It’s the US where the enhanced navigation features have first time been made available by Google on its Motorola Droid [American version of Milestone] handset in October.