CNET shows you how six different iPhone flight tracker apps display maps.
Kent German
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
FlightTrack's richly detailed maps are the most impressive of the lot. You get a full satellite view with weather radar data, and I really like that you can zoom in and scroll around the map with your finger.
2 of 7 Screenshot by Kent German/CNET
FlightView
Though the FlightView map shows weather radar data and the actual flight path, other details are lacking and you can't zoom.
3 of 7 Screenshot by Kent German/CNET
FlightWise Flight Tracker
FlightWise's maps are extremely minimalist and show only the outlines of land masses and unlabeled dots for cities. On the other hand, it details the actual flightpath down to the smallest course change.
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Flight Status
Powered by FlightView, the Flight Status maps are unremarkable.
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Flight Tracker Live
These bare-bones maps show only the present position of the flight instead of the full flight path. Still, you get useful information like the altitude, airspeed, and projected flight time.
6 of 7 Screenshot by Kent German/CNET
The Google Maps used by Flight Update won't show the plen's path in the sky, but they will denote its current position. You can zoom in, as well.
7 of 7 Screenshot by Kent German/CNET
Live Flight Tracker
The Live Flight Tracker map is simple, but it offers a lot of information. I like the progress bar at the bottom that shows flight time. You can't zoom in, though.
