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Google Rumored for Ad-supported Navigation App
Techtree News Staff, Oct 29, 2009 0821 hrs ISTCompany speculated for developing a free turn-by-turn based navigation app
After bringing Maps to the mobile platform, Google is rumored to be working on a turn-by-turn based navigation app. This step would hit quite a number of location based navigation service providers that charge a premium for their services. If Google comes out with a free app, it would break the market for premium-based navigation services. Android-based mobiles would be getting this app before other mobile platforms would.
According to Forbes, the navigation app would also support voice-guided directions. Though the app would be available for free, it will have ad-supported model within the app itself.
The advertising model for this application would be valuable since user's precise location information and destinations could be known. This would help advertisers to get specific customers for their business. Recently, Apple's iPhone map application has started showing ads - thanks to Google, since it helped build it.
There's no doubt that Google has been keeping its maps data to itself, for instance, Street View. Many mobile carriers offer their own navigational services and if Google rolls out Android version with Maps embedded in it, carriers would lose that amount of business. Also, those small navigation service providers may have to kneel down before Google.
Google spokeswoman Carolyn Penner noted that consumers frequently ask the company to add navigation to Google Maps. However, Penner declined to comment on details regarding the future products.
A majority of iPhone owners have been asking for turn-by-turn based navigation which was fulfilled with the iPhone OS 3.0 software update. Hence, it's likely that Google will come out with a native turn-by-turn based Navigation app for Android.
According to Forbes, the navigation app would also support voice-guided directions. Though the app would be available for free, it will have ad-supported model within the app itself.
The advertising model for this application would be valuable since user's precise location information and destinations could be known. This would help advertisers to get specific customers for their business. Recently, Apple's iPhone map application has started showing ads - thanks to Google, since it helped build it.
There's no doubt that Google has been keeping its maps data to itself, for instance, Street View. Many mobile carriers offer their own navigational services and if Google rolls out Android version with Maps embedded in it, carriers would lose that amount of business. Also, those small navigation service providers may have to kneel down before Google.
Google spokeswoman Carolyn Penner noted that consumers frequently ask the company to add navigation to Google Maps. However, Penner declined to comment on details regarding the future products.
A majority of iPhone owners have been asking for turn-by-turn based navigation which was fulfilled with the iPhone OS 3.0 software update. Hence, it's likely that Google will come out with a native turn-by-turn based Navigation app for Android.
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Raymond
,Syracuse, on Nov 02, 2009 09:47 PM
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