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Navigon Reveals More Details on iPhone Car Kit at IFA

Friday September 4, 2009 7:52 am PDT by Marianne Schultz
iFun.de, a German iPhone news site, reports [Google translation] that Navigon has officially announced its own car mount for the iPhone. The mount comes with a car charger and will be available in October at a price of "under 40 Euros" (approximately US$57). A subsequent model with its own GPS chip may be offered also. Navigon made this announcement at IFA, a consumer electronics convention currently taking place in Berlin.



Yesterday, we reported on information from Navigon indicating that an iPhone car kit to accompany its turn-by-turn navigation software was in the works. This information came to light via a wall post on Navigon's Facebook page, though no other information had been provided by Navigon through any other medium up until now.

Navigon was one of the first turn-by-turn navigation apps available for the iPhone earlier this summer, beating one of its major competitors, TomTom, to the App Store. Now that the release of TomTom's car kit for the iPhone has been pushed back to October, Navigon has another opportunity to be first-to-market with a major iPhone accessory.

UPDATE A correction has been made to note that the car kit to be released first will not have its own GPS chip, though subsequent models released may have one.
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Gatteau
Posted: 32 months ago
I'm really liking Navigon now, more than TomTom. I think I'll get it, after all.
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BryanLyle
Posted: 32 months ago
If they can make that car kit handle phones that are in cases, it would be a slam dunk for Navigon. We know the TomTom kit won't.
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countrydweller
Posted: 32 months ago
Wow, a fair price, may beat Tomtom, they're on top of things.
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Stargaze
Posted: 32 months ago
now here is a company that knows how to create a buzz and FOLLOW THROUGH and deliver on their statements

Tom tom you should take notes!!
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iSee
Posted: 32 months ago
Ouch!
If true, Navigon just kicked TomTom in the... well... where it hurts the most.
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nilo
Posted: 32 months ago

The mount will have its own GPS chip and will be available in October with a price of "under 40 Euros"


This is just *wrong*. The article states, that there probably *will* be a version with GPS chip in the future. So the 40 Euro mount will definately *not* have a GPS chip. :(
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co.ag.2005
Posted: 32 months ago
Navigon FTW! Screw TomTom...

Disclaimer: I don't use either of these products, but I make my claim based on following the drama about release dates/price points for both software and hardware from both companies.
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VenusianSky
Posted: 32 months ago
I've been holding out on a navigation app. This may sway my decision towards Navigon. I had originally planned on getting Tom Tom before I knew about Navigon. Now with all this BS where Tom Tom was late with their app, no info about the car kit, now info on a approx. release date for the kit, but still no price, I am kind of tired of it. Navigon released their software first, they already announced plans for improvements in future versions, announced a car kit with price. Plus, MobileNavigator is Navigon's only product. That should make them more competitive since it is what the business is based on. The Tom Tom app is more like a side project. If it has success, Tom Tom may get more serious with it. If it fails, they always have their navigation units.
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r6girl
Posted: 32 months ago

This is just *wrong*. The article states, that there probably *will* be a version with GPS chip in the future. So the 40 Euro mount will definately *not* have a GPS chip. :(


Thank you for pointing this out. The article has been corrected.
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macslayer118
Posted: 32 months ago

If they can make that car kit handle phones that are in cases, it would be a slam dunk for Navigon. We know the TomTom kit won't.


I don't understand how this is possible? Cases come in all different shapes and sizes. Some have hooks for belts, others dont. Some are made of leather, some cloth, some of plastic. To accomodate the plethora of cases for the iPhone would seem unrealistic.

:confused:
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