iPhone 5 Could Feature Free GPS Navigation

More evidence has surfaced that Apple is working on navigation software for the next-generation iPhone. The company recently acquired online mapping company Poly9. This is not the first tech company specializing in mapping to be picked up by Apple.

apple iphone navigation mapping free app

Placebase, a mapping services company was also bought by Apple in 2009. Speculation is rampant that Apple may integrate both companies' technology in a new mapping and/or navigation app for the iPhone 5. Google maps are currently featured in iOS products, but the relationship between Google and Apple has been rocky lately. Google has also launched its own competing free GPS navigation app for Android platforms.

Not only this, but Apple has posted several new job announcements that ask specifically for software engineers with "experience developing navigation software." Four job postings for iOS software engineers are identical and contain the following:

Valuable knowledge:
- Deep knowledge of Computational Geometry or Graph Theory
- Experience with Linux server-side development of distributed systems
- Experience developing navigation software

Another posting also sounds like it could involve a cloud-based map server of some kind:

Apple is hiring a software engineer to manage and automate distributed image processing on a server cluster. The position is with an emerging and rapidly growing product team building software used by millions of Apple customers in rapidly growing markets worldwide.

Responsibilities include:
- managing distributed image processing
- deploying updates to a large server cluster

This isn't a coincidence, considering that Apple recently opened a massive data center in North Carolina devoted to its services. The server farm is already five times the size of Apple's California facility and reports have indicated that Apple may still double this size with further construction.

Apple even has what they call a "Geo Team" that was referenced by Placebase founder and CEO Jaron Waldman. Of course, it's possible that Apple will only integrate specific mapping technologies from Placebase and Poly9 into the iPhone 5. Google recently announced a renewal of their search deal with Apple, however it's not known if Google Maps is included as part of the deal.

With the iPhone 5 expected to launch in summer 2011, it's possible that Apple needs more time to create its own navigation solution.

Comments

> iPhone 5 Could Feature Free GPS Navigation

Just like the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3 free GPS Navigation apps?

Wow!

What great news!

(Does iphonefaq know ANYTHING about the iPhone during the past 3.5 years????)

Rofl, iphone still playing catchup to Android, taking more time as the years go by.

Android will have Star Trek spoken technology decades ahead of the iphone. And we are now applying for something iphone will never have.

So if you want to play games buy an iphone, but if you want a useful device Android is the way to go, otherwise you will be dreaming and drooling for what Android does, case in point:

Iphone cumberly does and followed Android:

- Multitasking (G1)
- Copy paste (G1)

I phone can't do, though iphone fans drool for:

- Free 3d gps navigation (G1)
- Speach to text and vice versa (Droid)
- Swype (Droid)
- Gesture technology (Droid)
- Multi processor units (Optimus 2x)
- Superamoled screens or better (Galaxy S, LG B)
- 3D Screens (Sharp)

Just to quickly highlight which of the items on that list actually can be done on an iPhone:

[without jailbreaking]
Free 3D GPS Navigation - Navfree, Skobbler, etc.
Speech to Text and Vice Versa - Dragon Dictate, etc.
Swype - ShapeWriter

[with jailbreaking]
Gesture Technology - courtesy of Cydia

Regarding the Screen
Superamoled screens are notoriously difficult to see in daylight. Yes they do look better than the iPhone screen so long as you're in a darkened room, however the rest of the time they're distinctively harder to see, and they just can't match the iPhone 4's resolution.
Also regarding 3D screens, I hope you realise that's the current controversy with the Nintendo 3DS - apparently it causes rather a lot of damage to one's eyes.

So my point is that both platforms are excellent, and the features you highlighted as "lacking" from the iPhone are actually readily available for the most part. However with the recent discovery of the Geinimi trojan for Android, it's clear that there's a few security holes that need to be fixed!

you call that navigation? you never used a real gps. iphone doesn't speak directions--- impossible to drive. try mapquest for free.

The iPhone *DEFINITELY* speaks directions. I use mine all the time. You just need to install any 1 of several free GPS apps.

You don't know much about the iphone. None of this is "new".

WOW,this phone is really very great! I tell some interesting things: Transparent keyboard is very interesting,but shenzhen shanzhai phone has transparent with led light keyboard phone for long time. About GPS Navigation function, it is also produced by shenzhen shanzhai phone. what other functions? you can imagine

I love this phone very much. the design ,looking, feeling much very great! As a electronics sourcing guy for many years in shenzhen. i have noticed this transparent keyboard phone for many years. 2 years ago,i have saw one factory pushed one phone with transparent keyboards with led light. Chinavasion also at the first time to sell it . To the surprise, the phone quality is also good. Amazing!

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