Will the iPhone kill the GPS market

[localhawaii]

I've never been a big fan of all in one devices, mostly because they are usually a grouping of crappy versions of the sub features they bundle. I've had phones that do music, gps, internet, and cameras for a long time, and to be honest they all have sucked - even the phone sometimes.

First off I think this is a great topic. I dont specifically think that the iphone will kill the GPS market, but more of the ubiquity of GPS chips equipped in mobile phones that will cut into the golf gps market. Absolute Zero defines both advantages and disadvantages but with the advancement in technology, we will see solutions to these disadvantages sooner than later. Battery life is a great example. I remember my first cell phone back in the early nineties used nickel metal hydride batteries and had a talk time of like 60 minutes and a standby time of 8 hours. Our modern phones use lithium ion and have 5 hour talk times with 5 day standbys.

In all fairness, i do have a first generation iphone, which means it does not have a GPS unit built in. However, three of my coworkers have cell phones with GPS units and instead of buying a gps golf device, one decided to just write one from scratch. Between the four of us, we have combined over 40 years of IT experience spanning software development, Info Sec and networking. Just as the OP hinted "what if some guy in his basement develops a killer app that does this and uses free google maps. Talk about LITTLE to NO barrier to entry." Well that's exactly whats been going on for the past six months. Its definitely taking longer than projected to complete the application and has gone through several versions already. There is no doubt in my mind that there are hundreds of people coding their own home brew applications, which i believe will ultimately take a big bite out of the golf gps market. If anyone currently has a phone with a GPS chip and would like to test the software, I might be able to provide a link once things start to get out of beta. And yes, there will be an Iphone version.

[The Rambler]

GPS systems don't require a plan so I think that the GPS industry is mildly safe

[limotek]

well, the Blackberry didn't kill the GPS market, so Apple's version of the Blackberry won't kill the GPS market either.

true.. i dont think gps is in any trouble for the time being......

[slightdraw]

so....i'll toss in my 2 cents...as applies to all cell phones equipped with gps.

my opinion is yes, it will kill off the dedicated gps-hardware market. eventually. but its going to take more accurate gps chips in cell phone and far more than a guy in his basement to do it. to date, gps companies that allow users to map and share have done this more for the purpose of making sure they have complete course coverage. in a perfect world you would never have users mapping and sharing, but professionals doing the work. now this could be either pros on the ground (ala skycaddie, mapping to within 1m of accuracy, though the gps devices in my opinion arent there yet...someday soon they should catch up however), or else companies in office building with detailed maps. if you think you can do this all using google earth, think again. companies like upro will more than likely want to get maps from multiple sources, probably pay for all of them, to get the most accurate maps possible. that will give you the accuracy you need. you might get "close" with google earth, but i dont think the accuracy of a guy mapping using GE will be able to stand up to the likes of the upro mapping, just my opinion though.

my guess is that the upros of the world (and upcoming devices that use actual images) start as hardware + software, then eventually move to a software solution only. it will take a while, but i think it will happen. and yes, if you have the $ right now, you could probably buy some maps, hire some programmers, and get some data entry folks and come up with a good solution for the iphone. price it right, and i might just purchase it too :D

[erikpmort]

so allow me to take this convo to the next step-

i see there are a couple of golf apps for the iphone right now- haven't looked or read into them seriously, but how good are they at the moment?

Are there any programs that allow you to plot your own yardages of the course and get the distance for you as you're between them? cause that will generally satisfy me....

all i know is i just got a garmin for my birthday, and i'm considering returning it, because i'll be buying an iphone in the next few months....

[somanyqs]

it sounds like the jury is still out...here is a page that has a couple of options
http://criticalgolf.com/?page_id=3313
my personal take is that the "free" versions are worth what you pay. probably best to buy an app from a company that maps the courses themselves, though those cases are few and far between. depending on which garmin, think twice about returning (or maybe exchanging for another!) - they are really handy devices, and offer a lot of distance detail that aren't shown in any of the software applications for the iPhone...
good luck!

[Big_M]

Here is a simple answer to your question...

yeah... me too, but Verizon, not Sprint.

I've never liked all in one devices either... I have an i-pod for music, a camera for pics, a video camera for vids, and a phone to call people (not text people... that's my desktop). Maybe someday in the distant future some version of an i-phone will truly replace many of these devices, but not in the next 5 years.

[Deviant]

I think that is an interesting concern, especially seeing that every nurse or physician I work with seems to own an iPhone. ("Baaaah, Baaah, " little sheep, join the rest of the herd...is what I jokingly tell them.) However, I think with the advent of newer, far more accurate devices like the Callway uPro GPS and SkyCaddie SG5, that seem loaded with more pertinent features...iPhone golf GPS apps will soon fade away. I as well am not a big fan of multi-function devices, and these $24.99 iPhone apps, that install next to your iFart, Facebook icon, or whatever...

[McGolf-Doggie]

I have an iPhone, and I love it to death, but I don't rely on it's GPS.

I wouldn't underestimate the future possibilities.

According to people in that business I've spoken with, device convergence in consumer electronics has been a major factor in the Consumer Electronics marketplace for a number of years. The GPS category recently had great growth, and iPods/then iPhones have, too, for several years now. It makes tons fo sense to do it. But they will study the market for higher-zoot convergence devices from every angle before they move. They can be very slow about it. I remember when the idea of a phone/iPod was being requested by a few Mac addicts incl. myself back in the 90s and others wanted a successor to the Newton that would provide phone capability. Seemed like we had to wait an eternity for it to happen, but Apple finally did it. Personally wish they did it with a pay as you go plan like Virginmobile, which works better for those on a budget. I'd sure like a iPhone GPS that could replace my broken bike GPS Edge 305 and serve as a golf GPS and iPod all in one. When it comes time to upgrade or replace, convergence is very appealing.

[RC]

I purchased one of the more expensive golf gps apps for my iPhone, and it is not useful compared to my dedicated golf gps -- unless I forget my regular gps and have nothing else. The iPhone app is far more cumbersome and appears less accurate, therefore less useful. Not there yet... in my opinion.

[me&theboy]

+1.

I agree with your battery life and backlight assesment but the views are excellent even in the sunlight .... IMO but I have 20/20 vision. Also the iphone is very durable not good to drop because it scratches but I've dropped mine on wood floors and concrete and aside from the scratches (that pissed me off but it was my fault anyways) it works well. As for the golf GPS thing on iphone I'm testing our GolfCard and trying to find another application to use. GolfCard GPS is as accurate as the GPS in the cart I was using but it's new to me so it didn't work as well as I wanted. I'm trying to find a GPS rangefinder where everything is already mapped for me so I don't have to mark anything.

As far as the original question in this thread. (be warned this is an iphone RAVE, sorry in advance for iphone haters, it's just my opinion) I think as time goes on and newer versions of the iphone come out with better GPS in them the Market will shrink for dedicated GPS devices in cars and on the course. It may not be in a year or two but in my opinion the iphone users will realize it's capabilities or should and why not test something for free or $5. If your phone can do something almost as well as a dedicated device you pay $300 for to me this isn't even a question. The iphone blows away everything else around without a question. Since I've had mine the 3g version for almost a year now I'll never own another phone of any kind unless the iphone goes away. I never owned an ipod but wanted one I just hate carring around a bunch of devices that's why I waited until the 3g version came out and it's been the best investment I've ever made in a phone. My wife who hates technology loves hers as well and that alone to me proves how cool this phone is. She usually could care less about what a phone can do but she swears by her iphone. It's sick how cool the thing is and the fact that you can even test the GPS for golfing IMO is awesome because if you find something that works for you then you can use it if not you can shell out $300-$400 for a dedicated one. That is where I'm at but it's going to be almost impossible for me to spend that kind of money on a GPS device when I can find 10 software apps on the iphone that I can use and save $250. Just my opinion.... also I've found the GPS for iphone in the car to be great I use often while on trips.

[me&theboy]

well, the Blackberry didn't kill the GPS market, so Apple's version of the Blackberry won't kill the GPS market either.

Two completely different market shares and devices, but iphone is eating away at businesses. I think the main reason iphone isn't in more businesses is because tech support personell don't know how easy they are to set up for email and or don't want to support them. The funny thing is they are 5 times easier to support than a BB device..... IMO. BB is great for email! Anything besides that? I mean I've owed and used both but this isn't really a fair comparison. iphone all the way. BB's are great if you have a business an exchange server and BES server other than that iphone for business or personal use eats it up. They are easier to set up for business than a windows mobile device and much easier to use. Apple really outdid itself when it created this device. Everyone should own them and at the price point they are currently 199-299 there's many phones out there with less that cost more. A few changes in new models I'd love to see but no deal breakers.

[HytrewQasdfg]

The iPhone doesn't have nearly the market share Apple's PR department would have you think. Relative to the total number of phones Apple's share is pretty small. It's the same phenom as their computers. Apple has about 8% of the pc market. Sounds big till you realize that means 90% of the pcs sold are windows boxes. According to one internet news story, the iPhone only had 1.1% of the phone market in January.

Instead of "jack of all trades" devices like the iPhone, I think the electronics market will go in the other direction. More specialized devices. It has become incredibly cheap to place a full fledged operating system into devices. My televison runs Linux. It is literally a Linux computer. Several of Garmin's GPSs are Linux devices.

Try this link to see others: http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT4936596231.html

My point is as this trend continues, the cost of building these specialized devices will go down. Eventually we'll get to the point that people will be faced with the choice of purchasing a $50 application to run on an iPhone (or other generic device) or purchasing a $50 specialized device.

[me&theboy]

The iPhone doesn't have nearly the market share Apple's PR department would have you think. Relative to the total number of phones Apple's share is pretty small. It's the same phenom as their computers. Apple has about 8% of the pc market. Sounds big till you realize that means 90% of the pcs sold are windows boxes. According to one internet news story, the iPhone only had 1.1% of the phone market in January.

The cost of building these devices isn't very expensive now especially Linux devices but they still charge a pretty penny for them. They may as you say get less expensive over time and my guess is they'll get less expensive because they'll have to in order to sell them. iPhone (or other generic device) ---> " iphone there is no substitute!"

[InTheTwenties]

Will the iphone kill the gps market? No but I think its a good healthy dose of competition., Skycaddie is now not the only game in town. I have the iphone, and recently purchased for 24 dollars the ViewTi Golf app.

I found the app to be very useful at giving me plain Jane yardage readings to the middle of the green. There is a screen for this called Distance View. This is really all I need at my level of play, and was worth the 24 dollars.

The other screen Map view gives a view of the green, and about 200 yards up the fairway. I find this Map view to be too cumbersome to use, and at my level of play not as useful as plain distance.

I have used it for about 15 rounds. I am a walker and I have checked it to the course markings, and have also compared it to skycaddie. The app matched markings and the skycaddie.

Has it helped? YES! Since I know my iron distances, I am able to use the distance info to try to get on the green. I has worked. I do have more greens in regulation. My last round two days ago, I had 7 GIR. For me thats BIG. Alas, however I choked, and was unable to birdie (very upsetting).

So if you have the iphone and are looking at a gps app for golf take a look at View Ti Golf. The fee is a flat $24.00 with no annual fee.

Oh almost forgot: battery use. Turn off Wifi, and turn off auto brightness. With these settings I get 18 holes, with about 25 percent battery to spare on a full charge.

[Cody]

The Iphone won't come close to killing the GPS market. Tons of phones have had GPS on them before the iphone even came out. My dad has had a GPS on his blackberry for as long as i can remember.

Almost any smartphone out has the option of a GPS now adays. Heck my mom doesnt even have a smartphone and it has a GPS. I've got a cheapo GPS on my HTC Fuze, but i normally just use google maps and use the "from current location" feature.

[AbsoluteZero]

The Iphone won't come close to killing the GPS market. Tons of phones have had GPS on them before the iphone even came out. My dad has had a GPS on his blackberry for as long as i can remember.

I don't think you can compare the iPhone to any other device currently in the market, especially a windows mobile or blackberry device. Both of those devices have a heavy focus on business, while the iPhone has a focus on consumers. Also neither of those phones have the applicaiton options the iPhone does. Bottom line is it's the software, not the hardware, that could make all the difference. As you say, GPS has been out for a very long time on phones, but none have actually had an application that I know of to do this. Even if they did have the app, it's almost impossible to find it. This is not a problem for the iPhone. Perhaps the thread topic should have been "Will the iPhone and the iTunes apps store, kill the GPS market" The more I think about it, the less I think it will kill the market, especially as specialized devices get cheaper and better. However, I think many people will continue to look for ways to get everything they do in a single device, and the iPhone will just be another device for which they can accomplish this.

[Cody]

I don't think you can compare the iPhone to any other device currently in the market, especially a windows mobile or blackberry device. Both of those devices have a heavy focus on business, while the iPhone has a focus on consumers. Also neither of those phones have the applicaiton options the iPhone does.

Hahaha. Please tell me an application that youre iphone has that i can't get. The only difference is mine will not be dumbed down. Windows Mobile allows the phone to be completely customized and lets people create their own apps.

http://www.fuzemobility.com/theres-a...tand-for-this/ I think people don't understand this. There has not been one app that I've wanted and couldn't find. Lets also remember the fact that I can flash my phone with different roms to make it quicker and smoother, without hacking my phone.