iPhone 4S navigation

[freeman3030]

Hi,
I would really like an iPhone 4S as I'm really impressed with what i've seen so far, but I haven't got my finger on the pulse and know it's complete capabilities.
I currently have an Android Phone, on the most part its good, but I really do regret leaving the iPhone bandwagon (as before my Android, I had an iPhone 3G - the grass isn't always greener!) and want to come back. There is one thing that Android offers that iOS doesn't and thats google maps navigation. I think it's brilliant! I love the fact when I'm in London or where ever I feel like I know the area as the navigation is quite reliable. But as a UK customer, from what i've found out so far, we can't get 'Directions' like US customers can. Is it likely that we will get them too at some stage? Also, I understand people can only speculate about Apple's decisions, but do you think we will get turn by turn voice navigation as well?
I frequently use a sat nav and the solution would be to buy the TomTom app, but I don't want to go to all that expense and then Apple release turn by turn voice navigation and be fully compatible with Siri, as I'd imagine when asking Siri to navigate me to 'wherever' it wont launch into the TomTom app?
As I don't have an iPhone 4S I can't test what I want it to do, I'm sure I'm not the only person out there wanting to know this.
If anyone can tell me the capabilities of Siri, navigation and directions within the UK, it would be much appreciated.
Many thanks

 

[Gregoris]

Hi,
I would really like an iPhone 4S as I'm really impressed with what i've seen so far, but I haven't got my finger on the pulse and know it's complete capabilities.
I currently have an Android Phone, on the most part its good, but I really do regret leaving the iPhone bandwagon (as before my Android, I had an iPhone 3G - the grass isn't always greener!) and want to come back. There is one thing that Android offers that iOS doesn't and thats google maps navigation. I think it's brilliant! I love the fact when I'm in London or where ever I feel like I know the area as the navigation is quite reliable. But as a UK customer, from what i've found out so far, we can't get 'Directions' like US customers can. Is it likely that we will get them too at some stage? Also, I understand people can only speculate about Apple's decisions, but do you think we will get turn by turn voice navigation as well?
I frequently use a sat nav and the solution would be to buy the TomTom app, but I don't want to go to all that expense and then Apple release turn by turn voice navigation and be fully compatible with Siri, as I'd imagine when asking Siri to navigate me to 'wherever' it wont launch into the TomTom app?
As I don't have an iPhone 4S I can't test what I want it to do, I'm sure I'm not the only person out there wanting to know this.
If anyone can tell me the capabilities of Siri, navigation and directions within the UK, it would be much appreciated.
Many thanks

Hello and welcome to the forum!

I agree with you on the turn by turn and this is something I really wish that apple would add to their devices, maps while good is useless because how can you see where you are even going when you have to keep moving the screen to catch up with the pin? and do all this while you are driving?

I think eventually apple will add this feature its just a question of time.. Knowing apple it will be later then sooner but I look forward to see what apple comes up with as they usually do a good job of features they add, TomTom is the best sat nav device imo and even better on the iphone or idevice as long as you have a car charger but £40+ pounds depending on what version you go for. BUT if I where you I would hold off for a while but I doubt we will see this feature until at least ios 6.0 (just a guess) and I hope I am wrong and we do see it sooner, maybe in one of the firmware updates in ios 5, regardless of when I would not purchase tomtom unless it is urgent that you have turn by turn.

Not sure about siri though maybe some one else here who has it can fill you in on that one.

 

[jpcamaro70]

I miss google nav. When i went to the iphone 4s, I figured apple is awesome at everything of course they'll have a good nav. no dice. none of the free nav apps are nearly as good as google nav.

 

[freeman3030]

Thankyou for your responses, for me, the lack of a built in sat nav really let's this phone down. It's such a shame, because it doesn't make it quite the smart phone it should be. Oh well, like you say, you can always use tomtom for now if push comes to shove.
I'm itching to get my hands on Siri and What it can do, I've seen quite a few videos on YouTube as so far am fairly impressed.
Also another question, completely unrelated to navigation... What is the battery life like?

 

[sweetyness]

Hi, I have the new iphone 4s, my first iphone. I found this site looking for a better navigation solution than the included "Maps". Siri is great, but when I say "Direction to [address]" it opens it in the Maps app- which like mentioned is very un-user-friendly when driving. Today it was pouring rain and I had to keep looking at the phone (which by the way kept going to the lock screen so first I had to unlock it), then click the arrows to advance the directions and zoom in to the street, etc., etc. Very clunky! I had a Droid Incredible before this and the free Google Maps app was awesome with the voice navigation and choice of views. (although I love the iphone for most everything else!)

So in my search I have found a couple of options- since I am first looking for a free solution, I am going to try WAZE GPS & traffic. My next choice will be MotionX GPS Drive that is only $9.99 a year at this time. I'll let you know once I have had a chance to use them. I am hoping I can find a way to use Siri for these- maybe just say "Directions using WAZE" or something like that.

As far as Siri overall, it works crazy good at getting the words correct from my voice most to email. I have found that when I am in a message screen and try to use it to fill in my text field it doesn't work, just beeps back at me - (I was used to using the microphone icon on Droid) Maybe I need to do it from the main screen and just say "Message to such & such" or something...haven't tried that yet, but any suggestion on what works would be great.

Also, off subject a bit, I found the auto correct on the iPhone messaging is light years better than the Droid. Seems to always know what I want to say no matter how I misspell it!

 

[sweetyness]

Also the battery life is EXCELLENT! Which was my main reason for making the switch. My Droid couldn't last the day if its life depended on it- I spent so much time closing apps and trying to make adjustments so it would last through the day- usually had to change in the afternoon.

My iPhone lasts days! Sometimes when I plug it in at night it has 7/8s life left, but usually not much less than 1/2. I also just figured out today how to close apps, so I had about 16 open all the time, and 8 or so Safari windows open. Amazing. Very fast browsing and much less clicks to get where you want to go. Except for the nav, which I will hopfully solve, I am loving this iPhone!

 

[iphone4ever]

Also the battery life is EXCELLENT! Which was my main reason for making the switch. My Droid couldn't last the day if its life depended on it- I spent so much time closing apps and trying to make adjustments so it would last through the day- usually had to change in the afternoon.

My iPhone lasts days! Sometimes when I plug it in at night it has 7/8s life left, but usually not much less than 1/2. I also just figured out today how to close apps, so I had about 16 open all the time, and 8 or so Safari windows open. Amazing. Very fast browsing and much less clicks to get where you want to go. Except for the nav, which I will hopfully solve, I am loving this iPhone!

Awesome! Glad you love your iPhone 4s.
I use waze and find it very good.

Sent from my iPhone using iPF.net

 

[Daca]

Also the battery life is EXCELLENT! Which was my main reason for making the switch. My Droid couldn't last the day if its life depended on it- I spent so much time closing apps and trying to make adjustments so it would last through the day- usually had to change in the afternoon.

My iPhone lasts days! Sometimes when I plug it in at night it has 7/8s life left, but usually not much less than 1/2. I also just figured out today how to close apps, so I had about 16 open all the time, and 8 or so Safari windows open. Amazing. Very fast browsing and much less clicks to get where you want to go. Except for the nav, which I will hopfully solve, I am loving this iPhone!

Lucky you, the picture isn't that bright for many of us if you have a look here ..http://www.iphoneforums.net/forum/i...m-4s-iphone-4-a-25149/index58.html#post139709


Best wishes
Nathan

 

[CXXXV]

Try Global Navigator. It's free and pretty good.

 

[Rocko]

No, Global is horrible. Not turn by turn without paying. Waze is decent for free turn by turn. Mapquest is ok but ugly maps.

Nothing beats Androids Google Maps. It's too bad they don't sell it for IOS, I would gladly pay $10 a year for it.

 

[njshoremom4gurlz]

I agree totally about android maps, navigation maybe cause it's run by google?
I do love my iPhone too very pleased but using iPhone 4 ( great battery better than 3gs that i had) and what I hear about the battery I'm not grabbing the 4s. This works perfect for me, I have my clunky digi for 14 mp pics lol but iPhone does fine for every day pics point n shoot.
We also have the galaxy and torches from BB... All nice but prefer iPhone... Very nifty lol

 

[killswitch669]

have you tried iWay GPS navigation since this tread