Best satnav for iPhone

September 18, 2010

Some of the phone-based satnav apps offer great value for money. The gap is closing between standalone satnavs and phone based satnavs. There are 5 iPhone Satnav apps discussed here. Having an iPhone navigation app means you don’t need to carry a separate satnav and having a GPS in your pocket or bag can prove very useful when you are not in your car.

If you want an iPhone-based satnav the Ndrive iPhone will cost you £9.99 and has clear maps and bold schematics.This is probably your best buy currently.

A close contender is CoPilot v8.0 at £25.99 from Apple iPhone Store but a typical price is £20 if you shop around. CoPilot is a 220MB file so download it over a wifi network to your iPhone. CoPilot Live displays maps in either 2D or 3D and the maps are clear and easy to read. One of the advantages of CoPilot Live is that it gives two turning directions at a time when the turns are close together. A disadvantage of this app is that it does not offer you European maps and live traffic data is not available. It is however great value and simple to use.

Similarly, but more expensive, is the Navigon Mobile Navigator iPhone app at £52.99. For the extra money it allows you to send your current location to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

TomTom v1.0 for iPhone is also incredibly easy and fast to use. The screen display is really clear  – on a par with TomTom’s stand alone satnavs. Directions are loud and clear and it has the advantage of a night mode when the colour display changes so it is easier to read in dark conditions. The biggest disappointment is the price – you can buy a TomTom 1.0 at around £59.99.

Beware, Which users found the app to avoid was Navmii iPhone app at £19.99. This app was difficult to use and offered limited online support.

Sources: Engineering & Technology Journal; timesonline.co.uk/ingear; which.co.uk.

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