Garmin Best Navigation App for iPhone

The smartphone satellite navigation market is becoming increasingly competitive, with all of the big names now producing specialist solutions for the iPhone. With the likes of CoPilot and TomTom involved, it is important for the other major players to produce complete solutions that cover all that the serious traveller will require, and with this in mind, Garmin has packed as many features as possible into its UK offering.

The highlights include speed camera alerts, live traffic updates, 3D buildings and landmarks, and lane assist capabilities. These features are all available elsewhere, but how they work is paramount to ensuring a navigation solution that is worth the asking price. Some of the services are available as in-app purchases, which raises the cost somewhat, but for the serious ones like traffic, the savings could come later in the form of time and fuel.

Garmin has spent a lot of time making the interface as easy to use as possible, with the presentation being very similar to standalone systems. This allows you to quickly obtain information at a glance, and tap the larger-than-average buttons while driving. This simple touch should not be underestimated, because safety is paramount at all times when driving, and it is obvious that Garmin has taken this into consideration.

In our tests, the route planning capabilities proved to be accurate at all times, and we were largely pleased with the routes offered. Of course, no service will ever be perfect, but this solution is a rival to TomTom in terms of route planning. The trafic service is also accurate, although it is susceptible to missing the occasional jam.

First impressions suggest that this will be a good solution for those who travel a lot, but for those who will only need it occasionally, the cost may outweigh the bene ts. There are other novel features such as 3D buildings, but at its core this is a competent navigation solution that is worthy of the asking price, and one that should serve you well for all of your trips.

Garmin UK & Ireland
A great navigation solution
Rating ★★★★★
Price: £49.99/$74.99 Developer: Garmin International Inc

iPhone App Directory Volume 9 © 2012 Imagine Publishing Ltd