When discussing GPS, I’ve often made the analogy to TiVo and cable companies. Once the cable companies figured out that they could just provide their own DVR (or once it became economical), they started to undercut TiVo. I see similar potential with cell phones and GPS. The units already come in many cell phones, which could certainly cut into the sales of companies like Garmin. They’re adapting, though: Garmin is now offering unlimited “lifetime” navigation for $99.99. Why the quotes? After the jump.
See, the license doesn’t carry from device to device. So lifetime really means for the life of your current BlackBerry. Still, though, the up-front fee means that you won’t be playing for a monthly subscription. For a guy like me, who signed a new two-year deal fairly recently, this kind of thing might work out. That is, if Verizon didn’t disable my GPS.
You’ll get Garmin’s basic services, including turn-by-turn directions and noted points of interest. Also included are traffic updates, weather, gas prices at various stations. And, apparently, it can work even if you don’t have GPS. Though I’ve found that kind of location technology a tad inaccurate (Google Maps usually puts me a mile away from where I am).
Still, you could do a whole ton worse than a $99 licensing fee for a pretty comprehensive GPS program.
