Navigon Offers Full-Featured iPhone GPS Navigation for a Single Upfront Fee

German GPS firm Navigon has finally released MobileNavigator North America [App Store, $69.99 through August 15th and $99.99 thereafter], one of the first full-featured turn-by-turn GPS navigation applications for the iPhone. While several subscription-based GPS applications, including AT&T's own service have appeared since the release of iPhone OS 3.0, MobileNavigator represents the first full-featured GPS application bearing a single upfront cost to reach North America, beating out the much-anticipated hardware/software combination coming from TomTom. Navigon released a European version of MobileNavigator late last month.

The new North American package contains maps for the United States (including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) and Canada from NAVTEQ. Features include:

- Reality View Pro displays photo-realistic 3D views with actual road signs and lane guidance for virtually every highway interchange and exit drivers will encounter.
- Lane Assistant Pro helps drivers prepare to make an upcoming exit or turn by providing a lane map complete with arrows and actual road geometry.
- Speed Assistant with adjustable audio-visual warning.
- Day & Night Mode for map display.
- Direct Access allows navigation to contacts saved in the iPhone's address book.
- Branded POIs and POIs along the route
- 2D and 3D map view.
- Automatic switch between portrait and landscape format.
- Intelligent address entry.
- Real signpost display.

Navigon promises a free update coming soon to add such features as multiple-destination routing, additional view options, integration of points of interest entries with the iPhone's phone and address book features, and optimized volume control when using iPod functionality. Navigon has also released a video preview the new North American application.