TomTom has launched a new standalone satellite navigation app for Android devices, called TomTom Navigation. It’s designed to provide a more extensive navigation service than the standard Navigation app in Android.
The app is available in three forms to cater for the UK and Ireland, Europe, and North America, and brings a very similar experience to a fully functional TomTom satnav to your Android smartphone. TomTom’s HD Traffic feature is incorporated, to give you up to the minute traffic information as well as intelligent rerouting for busy times of the day.
From the screen shots we’ve seen the app looks great, but unfortunately it’s not going to look great on our Galaxy SIII’s beautiful screen, nor the HTC One X. In fact, when we looked at the app’s compatibility with our list of devices, only three out of fourteen were compatible. The Sony Xperia S, Samsung Galaxy Nexus and even the Panasonic Eluga were listed as incompatible.
Hopefully TomTom will change this very soon, as the app itself looks very promising. With a phone that has a large and sharp screen, this app could make your phone a very respectable replacement for a full-blown satnav.
Many features of TomTom’s latest satnavs are included in the app, such as routes with multiple stops along the way, music fading for voice guided instructions, 3D views, points of interest and places and automatic day and night modes.
The app certainly sounds great, and now all we need is the compatibility factor so we can use it on our favourite phones. Fingers crossed TomTom will sort that out for us soon.
TomTom Navigation for Android is available now from the Play Store, priced at £30.99 for UK and Ireland, £49.99 for Europe and £39.99 for US and Canada.
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