Following yesterday's announcements by Dash and Magellan that seemed to herald the demise of the connected PND, Garmin's nuvifone strategy is looking downright prescient.The truth is, most of us don't want another monthly bill. Garmin's decision to place its bet on connected navigation succeeding only when it's bundled with your cell phone plan seems pretty good today.
I've heard all the financial analysts' doom and gloom over the nuvifone, but I've got several reasons not to trust them (like their inability to forecast the recent market meltdown). Beyond that, Garmin has the killer navigation interface -- nobody else comes close, at least when it comes to intuitiveness and simplicity -- important attributes for a cellphone navigation solution.
And the fact is, we're going to have connected navigation in our future. Yesterday's news may represent a setback, but it is coming. And nobody has won the battle yet - not Apple, nor Nokia, nor Android. Sure, Garmin has a challenge ahead cracking the cellphone market, but I bet the nuvifone is one kickass navigation device. And there ain't another cellphone out there that meets that standard.
Very interesting post. You feel the navigation app will be one of the most important consumer considerations? I've always viewed the future in reverse; that consumers will mostly look for a "cool" phone expecting it to get them from place to place as well. But your view is certainly worth considering.
Ultimately I suppose it comes down to how consumers view the cellphone. Actually, even the term cellphone doesn't really seem to fit the device we will carry around anymore. Does it?
Posted by: Roger_Hart | November 09, 2008 at 06:38 PM
A "full-featured" GPS with a quality 3.2MP camera and a good phone is what I'm looking for. I don't want to decide which of these three devices to grab as I walk out the door...I want to grab just ONE. Please, Garmin, do it right and you'll have my business. P.S. I've downloaded only 3 songs in my entire life, so I must be odd!
Senior geek, age 61
Columbia, SC
Posted by: Greg Geisler | December 08, 2008 at 11:31 AM
apple i-phone has it all..... blackberry storm well i,ll keep my i-phone. lol storm has no wi-fi,,, i dont use the dat package.. i just use the basic package,, the cell phone company offers, 10 bucks A MONTH LOL.. i use wi-fi,,, to surf the net at no cost ,,, i never use google maps, what a joke,,, I do want games, mucis ect... but most of all ...i want garmin mapping.. my first choice. i own a 250 w, and a 565-t garmin nuvi, they are the best,,hands down, ( So )Garmin nuviphone company.. if you read this.. please install the mapping into your phone,so it works , even if the cell phone , ain,t hooked up to a cell phone company ... and you,ll have a fan,,, and price dont matter to me,,, if you want something bad enough ,,, you will pay the price,,, just like gasoline.....lmao ,, release the phone now..! i want it yesterday.... regards,,, P. whitehead
Posted by: peter whitehead | December 31, 2008 at 05:14 PM