Will the iPhone kill the GPS market

[AbsoluteZero]

  Cody said:

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.

I've been a long time user of windows mobile (I'm on my 4th device) and I actually pay for unlocked devices so that I don't get stuck using only what AT&T; carries. So I'm fairly familiar. While there are a LOT of benefits to windows mobile over other platforms, including the iPhone, the WM development and consumption of apps is a different model, and one that some would argue, makes it harder for the end user to get exposure to these apps. I think the move by Microsoft to create an app store just like the iTunes store is evidence of this.

While there are thousands of WM applications out there, the growth of this market is MUCH slower than the iPhone model. You can argue that there are a lot of garbage apps for the iPhone, but there is a reason that Microsoft is making moves to act more like Apple in this area instead of the other way around. But really this is an entirely different discusion. The real question is will all in one devices, whether iPhone or Windows Mobile, or some other device make standalone devices less compeling. I think the final decision I've come to is that if standalone devices get under 100 dollars and are as feature rich as something like the uPro device, then all in one devices won't be much of a threat. However, if they can't get the price down, and software is free or at least <50 for a phone, I can see more and more users making the switch. Will it be enough for the companies to take notice? Maybe not. I think the proof will be in whether Callaway or some other manufacturer makes their software available for these devices. If the app store starts selling a skycaddie, callaway, garmin, etc. software program then you'll know that the phone matters. I don't know that I care either way. I want the uPro functionality in a standalone device, or on my phone for less than 100.

[AbsoluteZero]

P.S. Live search for windows mobile is by far the best mobile app I've EVER used. It simply blows away ANYTHING I've seen on the iPhone. To do on the iPhone what I can do in the Live search app takes several apps and multiple steps.