Test drive: XRoad G-Map iPhone GPS navigation app

The white-hot portable navigation device (PND) market now faces its fiercest competition ever—downloadable applications for the top-rated Apple iPhone. These apps promise to replicate the software found in portable navigators and use the iPhone's built-in GPS and wireless connectivity to provide guidance, while consolidating two popular gadgets into one. Navigon believes so much in this emerging trend that it has withdrawn from the U.S. device market, choosing to instead focus on software. We are testing the Navigon MobileNavigator North America ($70) iPhone app now, right after we finished evaluating G-Map from XRoad. (Learn more about the Apple iPhone.)

This budget-priced software is designed to work with the iPhone OS 3.0, providing basic navigational aid and a fresh take on reality view, a means of realistically rendering major intersections and junctions. Available through the Apple iTune store, XRoad currently offers eight different versions, broken down by map coverage. The two most expensive options are G-Map U.S. East and G-Map U.S. West, each costing $35. The six other options are all priced at $20 and offer map coverage for only one or two states.

A key appeal to this software is the one-time fee, whereas competing mobile phone navigators from AT&T and Gokivo require $10 monthly subscriptions.

Our engineers found that the G-Map had an easy-to-use interface and provided simple turn-based guidance. However, there were key limitations such as location accuracy, sound quality, vertical screen display, and limited map coverage (no national maps). Further, the low price masks the fact that users would need to purchase a car charger and mount to use the iPhone as a navigator.

See our First Look of the XRoad G-Map.  We'll soon have a full review of the Navigon MobileNavigator as well. In the weeks ahead, the GPS team will test several iPhone applications. From our findings, we will be able to advise consumers on making the choice between a traditional portable device or the iPhone for navigation.

Update 10/2/09: See our full reviews of AT&T Navigator, iGo My Way, Navigon Mobile Navigator, Sygic Mobile Maps, TomTom iPhone application, and X Road G-Map.

—Jeff Bartlett and Frank Spinelli

For more information on portable automotive GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums.