Telstra has revealed the addition of almost one million new mobile services in the six months to December 2011, but Sensis revenues plummeted 24 percent in 12 months.
When you divide that by twelve, to give you the equivalent monthly cost (although it is purchased at a once-off cost of $79), you get a devilish $6.66 per month.
This compares with Sensis’ existing WhereIs Navigator app (Nokia, WinMo) selling for AUD $15 per month, or $180 per year.
Sygic says that “buying Sygic software allows you to use the application forever, current maps are included in the price, so there are no monthly fees or hidden charges.”
It also compares with buying an external GPS device, the newest of which from Australian online retailer Kogan sells for AUD $249, so it doesn’t seem too expensive to me at all.
Compared with 99 cent apps it is, but it’s certainly not the equivalent of the “I Am Rich” app that one commenter suggested it to be!
So, what are some of the features Sygic promises for its iPhone app?
There’s “smooth map movement and fast route calculation”, and as “all the maps will be stored on the device, there will be no need to download data on the go, which otherwise costs unnecessary waiting time and money”.
Sygic also says its app offers “instant re-routing in case you missed the turn, lane assistance, speed limit indication, safety cameras, information about railway crossings and dangerous areas”, along with a preview of the route, turn instructions list, parking options, POIs galore (points of interest), and a configurable screen.
How so? Well, explain Sygic, “you are the one who says what you want to watch on the main screen information bar – four spaces are free for you to choose from 10 info options, including journey time, real time, distances, speeds, length and signal - there is no need for you to be advanced to check the Advanced Settings.”
Sygic also promotes the fact that is has a bicycle mode in addition to the standard car/driving mode, although this only highlights the fact there’s no mention of a walking mode, something I hope will be explicitly added in an upcoming version.
So… all in all… a good first effort and giving Australian, South East Asian and New Zealand iPhone 3G and 3G S owners the ability to say they’re the first in the world to do true turn-by-turn GPS mapping at a reasonable price.
The technology works and will only get better still, but I hope Sygic are working on a range of updates to come thick and fast to fend off all the upcoming GPS app competition, and to keep its customers happy!
David Bass
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