The tech world has been non stop talking about Motorola’s new Droid device. There is no doubt it is an exciting new development in the smartphone arena, and it will definitely raise the bar for the future of the mobile space. If I had to choose one feature of the Droid that is making the most amount of noise, it would have to be Google’s new turn by turn GPS app available for Android 2.0 devices.

Now, before I get into this, let there be no mistake about it, this new app by Google has and will continue to turn the GPS industry on its head. All the big GPS companies are watching their stocks take a nose dive, and Google has managed to set the future standard for GPS and possibly put the whole market for standalone GPS units out of business.  To just name a few reasons people are so excited about this new app, for starters it’s free. GPS apps have traditionally been the most expensive type of apps, and now Google is offering one that can compete with the best of em, and it is free.

Additionally, the app enables you to search for a location even if you do not know the address, basically, you can search for a location in the same way you would search for it in Google itself. You can say “Starbucks near Central park” and the app will find one for you. The app also enables you to search by voice while driving, something that will reduce the danger of playing with an in car device. You can also enjoy a Traffic View, which notifies you of traffic on your route, in real time. Lastly, one of the coolest features in my opinion is the Street View functionality. Basically, imagine you are arriving at your destination, but are not exactly sure which building it is, the app shows you the actual street view of the location, pretty sweet.

Now that we have established that Google’s new GPS has enough reasons to give GPS manufacturers reason to worry, I thought I would mention some things that this new Google app does not have and should. These features exist in other similar applications, so there is no reason Google should not be implementing them in their GPS offering.

• A Social Layer: If there is any company that appreciates the importance of community, it is Google. I cannot think of any reason users should not be able to upload information about their journey and update other users in real time. I am imagining a world in which I come across construction on the way to work, update my Google GPS on the Droid sent to me by Google for review (sorry, just had to throw that in there), and thereby prevent my fellow drivers from taking my route. This could work for car accidents I encounter on the roads, problems with the actual roads, such as a pot hole, maybe even police traps, and much more. In today’s day and age when the world is so obsessed with social networks and online communication, Google has to add the ability to include user generated updates about the roads. Other companies are doing it, no reason Google can’t.
• Offline Navigation: This is a tricky point, since some might claim that the fact that Google’s GPS app is online, is actually an advantage over GPS systems that have the maps stored locally.  Well, in my opinion, they would be right and wrong. On the one hand, the fact that it is online and integrates Google Maps with its 50 million users offers an advantage of updated and real time information. On the flip side, I am thinking about my data bills. Yes, some of the other apps might cost money, but I am essentially paying for the maps, which are stored on the device itself. Here, I am getting the app for free, but it is eating away at my data plan. So, in my opinion, Google should do the smart thing and offer two different packages, one for people who want to download maps and use the app in offline mode, and another for people who have unlimited data and want to use the app in online mode. Does that make sense?
• Independence: The new Google App is only available on the Droid phone. It will probably be available on other devices that come with Android 2.0, and maybe even the iPhone eventually, but that is it. It will not cater to the same crowd that traditionally uses standalone GPS devices. My parents will never use the Google GPS system. In order for this app to be a complete success, it has to have its independence, that is independence of Android, independence of iPhone, independence of phones all together. If its so called simplicity is offered to consumers who do not use smartphones, then we would have a complete market killer on our hands. Right now, it is a cool product that will be used by geeks exclusively.
• Convenience: This is really a continuation of the last bullet, but since the Google app is not available as a standalone service, you are stuck using a 3.7′ screen for your GPS needs. That will not work for some, when standalone systems come in 5′ displays and even larger. Additionally, there is something to be said about having your phone available to you even when using GPS. Whether it is talking on the phone (with an ear piece of course), not having to worry about cellular coverage, or not eating up your phone’s battery, a standalone GPS system still offers some advantages to the average consumer.
• Augmented Reality: This might be a long shot, but if anyone could do it, Google can. With this new trend of apps that offer you real time data displayed on your screen, I can’t help but think how amazing that would be as part of a GPS app. The ability to view all the restaurants or businesses at a certain location, with the data about the vendor appearing on your phone’s display, can really put this new app over the top. Again, I am not a programmer or developer, so I have no clue if this is possible, but a man can dream, right?

In conclusion, there is no debating that the hype surrounding Google’s new GPS app is justified. However, just like the Droid itself is not going to be the last say in the smartphone market, Google’s GPS will not mean the end of standalone GPS devices.

This time it’s Motorola, Google, and Verizon’s turn with the new Motorola Droid device. Now don’t get me wrong, this is one amazing mobile phone. It is thinner, faster, and sexier than most of its competitors, with a 13.7 mm body, a 3.7” multi touch capacitive touch screen. It boasts all the goodies you can possibly imagine given the available technologies of today’s mobile industry. That includes an accelerometer, a full QWERTY keyboard, blazing fast HSUPA, Wifi, Google GPS (more about this later), Stereo Bluetooth, a 5MP camera, Android 2.0, and 16GB of on onboard memory plus a MicroSD slot.

Seems pretty perfect, doesn’t it? Well it is pretty darn close, and the Droid is on the way to huge success in my opinion, but it, along with its predecessors, will not kill the iPhone. Here are five reasons why the Droid might cause a small dent in iPhone sales, but will not bring it down:

• Apps: This is the first and most blatant reason the iPhone will stay on top for some time. The App Store, as of a few days ago, has 100,000 apps for the iPhone. That number, according to experts, will stand on approximately 250,000 by the end of 2010. Now, I am not belittling the Android App Market with its 10,000 apps, but I kinda am…10,000 apps is an amazing number considering how young the Android App Market is, but for them to catch up to Apple’s numbers, it is going to take time, and from what I can tell Apple is not standing around waiting for Android to catch up. According to the App Store project manager at Apple, they approve hundreds of new apps daily.So when we are talking about phones at the level of the iPhone 3Gs and Droid, the kind of people using these phones are going to want apps, and a lot of them. I am thinking they will see beyond the Droid’s impressive specs, and look to Apple’s App Store to meet their software needs.
  
• OS: I am a big fan of Android, I really am. I have used the HTC Magic and the Samsung Galaxy, both very impressive devices. However, as nice as it is to have an open OS, and deep Google integration, at the end of the day, most mobile users want their phone’s OS to be as easy to use as possible.The iPhone has been around for a few years now, and somehow its OS never gets old. Not a day goes by when I don’t see someone showing off the iPhone’s UI to someone else. They might be showing off a cool app and how smoothly it runs on the iPhone or how impressive the photo viewing capabilities are on the iPhone, but somehow the iPhone’s interface stayed on top and I do not see that changing anytime soon.If Apple is known to release products only when they reach a level of perfection, Google, for better or worse, have been known to release their services at a very early stage when they are full of bugs and imperfections. I am not saying this is good or bad, there is something to be said for releasing a product in order to hear customer feedback about features people want to see, but Android is far from perfect. In my opinion, Android will catch up with the iPhone OS, and it won’t take long, especially with the release of Android 2.0 for Droid, but it aint there yet, iPhone OS is still the best.
  
• Text Input: At this level of mobile phones, iPhone and Droid users are utilizing their devices to do so much more than make calls. Whether it is email, Google Wave, Twitter, Facebook, or IM, people want to be able to type fast. Now, I know there is a heated debate about the iPhone’s keyboard, but from my experiences, it is by far the most superior keyboard on the virtual keyboard market. In fact, I use a BlackBerry Bold as my primary mobile device, and it is recognized by most to have the industry’s best keyboard, but the truth be told, I sometimes miss the correction software and sensitivity of the iPhone’s keyboard.The Droid is brand new, so there are not many in depth reviews of the device and its input methods, but the few I have read suggest it is more of a BlackBerry Storm (the first generation) competitor than an iPhone killer, at least when it comes to typing.
  
• GPS: Now this is a tricky one… The new Google GPS turn by turn app has certainly caused its share of hype over the last few days. GPS companies like Garmin or TomTom are feeling the results of that hype with their shares absolutely plummeting since Google’s announcement. However, and this is the name of the game, will iPhone users abandon their iPhone just because Google now offers their GPS app on the Droid? As sure as I was that the first Storm would not kill the iPhone, I am sure that the answer is no. There are enough GPS apps on the iPhone that offer perfectly strong alternatives to Google’s app, that if someone had already decided to get a Droid, the GPS might make them smile, but iPhoners are not going anywhere because of it.You want to pull the free card? OK, Google’s GPS app is free, I agree that is a huge advantage over iPhone apps like TomTom that costs users hundreds of dollars over time, but if we are talking free alternatives, there is Waze on the iPhone, which is not only free, but it adds a social layer to its turn by turn navigation. The maps, route, and directions are all user generated, and the app has widespread exposure, so you can be sure, you are receiving updated information.Just to emphasize, I am not saying the Google app is not awesome or that it is not a huge development in the location space, because it is, but this is not what will bury the iPhone, which is at its prime right now, the iPhone, even with the new Droid GPS, is gonna live a very long life.
• Uniformity: This might get a little philosophical, but I am under the impression that people like things simple, and the iPhone is simple. I am not referring to its user experience, but rather the fact that it is one device against the growing sea of Android devices out there. With iPhone, consumers know what they are getting, and developers know how they are developing. When it comes to Android, and this is a general debate when it comes to consumer products, there are so many Android devices from which to choose, consumers might feel overwhelmed and confused, which will lead them to make the simple choice and go with an iPhone.When it comes to development, it is true that Andoid’s API is open and Apple’s is closed, and it is true that the approval process of getting into the App Store is long and painful compared to that of the App Market, but at least developers know what device they are developing for. With Android development, not only must developers customize their app for different devices with a variety of screen sizes and specifications, no one  knows what tomorrow will bring in the world of Android devices. iPhone is iPhone, both for consumers and developers.

Those are five reasons the Droid or any other Android device are not putting Apple out of business any time soon. In fact, when thinking about these five points, I am pretty convinced especially by the last one, that before Android dents Apple’s profits, they might very well be causing damage to their own with so many new devices from which to choose. Like MG Siegler of TechCrunch said, the iPhone killers we have heard so much about are indeed going to do some killing, but it is Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and Nokia that should be worried, not Apple.

Would love to hear your thoughts, will Droid take a bite out of Apple’s market dominance? Let me know in the comments or tweet me here.

-Hillel

By: Shalom Weberman

When location-based services were first introduced in 2001, one of the primary applications of this technology was pinpointing the locations of wireless callers when they called emergency response centers.  Many other uses for this technology were envisioned at the time, all with one major caveat: user adoption.  Until a significant portion of consumers had phones that contained such technology, developers could not truly capitalize on the power of location-based services.  With the introduction of regulations requiring new phones to utilize this technology for emergency location services, combined with routine handset upgrades, the issue of user adoption has been eliminated.  Consumers are now waiting for developers to create innovative, useful applications that capitalize on the power of location-based services.  So what has come of developers’ efforts so far?  A few notable applications, but no earth-shattering, game-changing offerings – yet.

MasterCard’s Priceless Picks iPhone application combines the power of location-based services and the latest mapping technology to provide users with a variety of special offers from nearby businesses – if those businesses update the offers.  A recent review on CNET revealed a number of issues with the application, ranging from outdated offers, to an unexceptional user interface, to a lack of offers in certain areas.  This application certainly has potential, but its current limitations may relegate it to the dusty, dark corners of Apple’s App Store.

VQ’s CarFinder application for BlackBerry attempts to solve a problem many people routinely encounter – forgetting where they’ve parked their cars.  CarFinder doesn’t require any user input to mark a parking spot.  Instead, the application relies on a Bluetooth connection – or rather, lack thereof- to determine when to mark a user’s parking spot.  Once the Bluetooth connection is terminated by the user, either by turning off their Bluetooth-enabled car or disconnecting their Bluetooth headset, CarFinder utilizes the BlackBerry’s built-in GPS technology, automatically marking a user’s parking spot. If a user doesn’t have a vehicle with built-in Bluetooth capability or does not use a Bluetooth headset, a Bluetooth vehicle power adapter can be purchased from CarFinder. Even if a user’s vehicle’s power outlet draws power after the car is turned off, CarFinder will automatically mark the user’s parking spot once the user is out of range of the Bluetooth connection.  This application would appear to be very useful – provided you don’t neglect to disconnect your Bluetooth headset or forget where you’ve parked your car in an area where GPS signals don’t penetrate, such as an underground parking garage.  These limitations, combined with the application’s retail price of $24.99, and the car charger’s retail price of $39.99, may hamper the application’s success in RIM’s App World.

Some of the more promising location-based services include those more directly related to navigation.  Local search applications, such as Poynt and Where, provide users with a wide range of information related to their current locations. From nearby restaurants, to gas stations and prices, movie showtimes, and traffic information, these applications can provide users with a wealth of location-based information.  Poynt and Where currently rank as some of the most popular location-based applications in both RIM’s App World and Apple’s App Store – but what can they provide that one of the major search engines cannot? Have you heard or seen very much about these applications? The lack of attention and unique offerings indicate that these applications are still in the fledgling stages of development.

Apple’s App Store, with its myriad offerings, rapidly expanding user base, and global availability, is a model of success. The App Store is also a challenging proving ground for developers; release an application that is truly innovative, distinct, and useful, and watch as its popularity increases exponentially in a matter of days, skyrocketing from the depths of the App Store to the upper rankings of the “top application” lists.  Conversely, release an application that lacks any apparent competitive advantage, and watch it fester, unknown, in the dark corners of the App Store.  It would seem, then, that the most popular applications in the App Store’s “Navigation” category would be good indicators of current usage trends of location-based services.  So, what are the most popular applications in this eminently practical category?  How are iPhone users utilizing location-based services?  Surprisingly, to find their way home.  The most popular applications simply provide users with directions.  Users do not necessarily want to be told where to go, but rather, how to get there.  The fact that three out of the four national cellular carriers in the United States offer such applications even for their “dumbphones” attests to the popularity of this type of application.

Why, exactly, are these applications so popular?  Convenience.  Many people don’t own cars with built-in navigation systems, and those who own portable navigation systems don’t usually carry these systems at all times.  Many people, however, carry their cellphones nearly all the time.  The ability to easily carry a fully-functional navigation system in one’s pocket, complete with the latest features and updated maps, seems well worth a small per-use or monthly fee.  These navigation applications have come to my aid on multiple occasions, proving their value time and again.  From guiding me out of bad neighborhoods after missed turns or incomplete detour signage, to providing me with detailed location information for roadside assistance after a breakdown, to simply guiding me to an unfamiliar destination, my carrier’s navigation application has proven itself invaluable.  The latest version of my carrier’s application allows the user to input destinations through voice commands, in addition to incorporating regularly updated traffic and weather information into route calculations.  Each new version of this application has made it even more competitive with dedicated navigation systems.  It would seem that it’s only a matter of time before cell phones equipped with navigation software supplant dedicated navigation systems.  Exciting? Not very. Innovative? Perhaps. Useful? Absolutely!  Often times, the most valuable products and services are not those that fulfill a previously unknown need, but rather those that better satisfy our current needs.

And what has come of emergency location services, the original use for location-based services?  In the United States, despite the great number of handsets currently in use that support location-based services, a notable percentage of emergency call centers still lack the necessary equipment to determine callers’ locations through location-based services, according to a recently published article from MSNBC.  Combined with an aging emergency call handling infrastructure and the inherent limitations of location-based services, such as the inability to locate callers within tall buildings, and it is clear that location-based services have yet to truly arrive.

-Shalom