Mobile Map Software

When online maps first became available, nobody could have imagined that they could be transferred to a mobile device where users could then opt to utilise a whole variety of features. However, over recent years it would be fair to say that the mobile map market has made significant advancements and the industry is now saturated with developers who are creating many different versions of mobile map software.

Google Maps

The current market leader is Google Maps, with many handsets actually arriving with this product pre-installed. Google have made every effort to try and maximise the features that their general map software includes and users can benefit from a whole array of different features. With the software being supported by the majority of mobile platforms and being free to download, it is no surprise to see Google dominating another market.

Bing

Having re-launched under various different brand names over recent years, some users may know the Bing mobile map service as Windows Live Search or even MSN. In stark contrast to many of their competitors, the Bing mobile map application is actually integrated into their basic search package. This means that anybody downloading the Bing search engine will get the map application as well. It would be fair to say that this application does not possess many advanced features in comparison with competitors, with the service lacking any sort of satellite navigational functions. However, it will still provide users with a very good mobile map service, which will also include the ability to tap into the Bing review database to seek ratings on different establishments that a user wishes to travel to.

Sygic

While the previous two mobile map providers were free to download, Sygic is classed as one of the premium brands. The company have become renowned for developing products with satellite navigation functions, with users being able to benefit from many of the features that can be found in standalone GPS navigator hardware. With users having so many features available, Sygic charge for their products with prices ranging from £13 to £80.

Garmin

Garmin are another premium developer although their prices are slightly higher than Sygic’s, with some packages costing up to £79.99. With their products holding such high price tags it is no surprise to see the company including many impressive features, with real life photos, 3D imagery and live updates being just a select few. What’s more, the software functions on all of the major platforms with Android, Blackberry and iPhone all being supported.

Mobile Map Software Summary

In summary, the above four pieces of mobile map software companies highlight just how varied the market is. It is clear that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the premium brands to survive, with products such as Google Maps constantly updating and including more and more advanced features. Bearing this in mind, it would appear likely for companies such as Garmin to soon change their business model to acclimatize to such changes in the market.