Google Maps Mobile May Become a Full-Fledged Navigation App

UPDATE: This report was confirmed yesterday, and the Motorola Droid will be the first smartphone to ship with this new app.

Google offers free mapping software for a wide variety of smartphones. If a rumor is correct, this is going to be turned into a full-fledged navigation app, with voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions.

Nav software for hones has become increasingly common in recent years, as most high-end models gained GPS receivers. Google's current free app offers only mapping and basic routing, but others offer much more: voice instructions, automatic re-routing, etc.

TeleNav leads this business now, and versions of its software for cell phones are offered by three of the four top U.S. wireless carriers, each under a different name. Customers pay about $10 a month for this service.

Enter Google
Unconfirmed reports say Google is going to offer a similar service, but for free.

This app will supposedly be supported by advertisements. These could be strongly targeted, as the app will know both the user's current location and where they are going.

When -- or if -- Google plans to release its rumored enhanced navigation service is not known.

Source: Forbes

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