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Garmin debuts four apps for iPhone, Android

Garmin leaps headfirst into the GPS app battle with a new StreetPilot app for iPhone and three new GPS apps for Android devices.

Antuan Goodwin Reviews Editor / Cars
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Expertise Reviewing cars and car technology since 2008 focusing on electrification, driver assistance and infotainment Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
Antuan Goodwin
2 min read

The Garmin StreetPilot app brings all of the features of a standalone GPS device to the iPhone's touch screen.
The Garmin StreetPilot app brings all of the features of a standalone GPS device to the iPhone's touch screen. Garmin

Although technically one of the first GPS manufacturers to market a mapping app for portables with its Garmin Mobile 10 software for PDAs and Palm, Garmin has been notably absent from the smartphone navigation app marketplace as of late (discounting the aging and ridiculously overpriced Garmin Mobile for Blackberry). Today, Garmin jumps back into the fray, challenging apps from TomTom, Magellan, and Navigon with not one, but four of its own GPS-centric apps, including the new StreetPilot navigation app for iPhone and three new GPS apps for Android devices.

The StreetPilot name hearkens back to the original Garmin StreetPilot GPS navigator announced at CES 1998. The app essentially brings all of the features that one would expect from a standalone Garmin Nuvi navigation device to the iPhone's touch screen, including a simple menu and map interface, turn-by-turn directions with text-to-speech spoken street names, and graphic lane guidance. Because the app can take advantage of the iPhone's hardware and software, users also have access to free traffic alerts, address book integration, and access and control of their iTunes library. iOS 4 devices can also utilize multitasking to take phone calls while the app handles background navigation.

The Garmin StreetPilot app is currently available in the iTunes App Store for $39.99.

Joining StreetPilot is a trio of non-navigation GPS apps for iPhone and Android devices. The first is the free Garmin Tracker for iPhone and Android devices, which allows users to monitor the location of the also newly announced Garmin GTU 10 tracking device. Also available now is the free My-Cast Lite app brings local weather forecasts and radar monitoring to Android phones. Finally, available in February 2011 is Garmin's myMechanic app which will allow users to pair their Android phone to the Garmin EcoRoute HD module via Bluetooth for monitoring vehicle performance metrics such as horsepower or fuel efficiency./p>