TomTom maps route onto iPhone 3G S

TomTom has jumped on the iPhone 3G S bandwagon by launching a satnav application and car kit for the must-have smartphone. tomtom_iphone_3gs_carkit TomTom's iPhone 3G S car kit Much like existing TomTom car kits, the 3G S-specific package is designed to stick onto your windscreen. It supports hands-free calling and will …

[Ian Ferguson]

Screwed on maps

The unfortunate thing about the whole iPhone mapping thing is map licenses. Because Google won't play nicely, there won't be any decent satnav applications that use the free Google live maps; TomTom will supply their own downloadable maps.

The poisoned barb with TomTom maps is that if you want them up to date, you have to buy new ones every few months.

I know nothing is free, but I always find it a shame seeing technology with great potential that isn't being used for legal reasons :(

[Chris Morrison]

Why 3GS

Why is this only available on the 3GS? I have apps on my i-phone 3G that work out which direction I am travelling in even without the digital compass. Why does this need the new phone to work? -apple trying to shaft current users?

[Richard Gadsden]

Not Google's fault

Google licence (some of) their map data from various national mapping bodies, e.g. Britain's Ordnance Survey. Google's licences from those mapping authorities don't allow them to use the maps for satnav, so Google have to restrict their licencees.

If you want to complain, then it's national government (cf Guardian's Free Our Data campaign) that you should be complaining to, not Google.

[fifi]

tunes?

Does the TomTom software allow some way to play tunes from the iPhone via the car stereo, either as some sort of lineout.

Are there any car stereos that support streaming bluetooth audio to take advantage of that new feature of the iPhone too?

[Patrick]

yes but what about cost

its all well and good showing us tomtom. but if its more than say £40 they can put it where the sun don't shine. as they do not have any hardware costs to claim back.

Normal tomtom is just over £80 if you know where to shop.

Also my iPhone is in a case and looks like this tomtom holder will need the iphone removing from the plastic body case i have. so thats a no no.

As for charging my £3.00 ciggy ligher to usb and £1 pound shop usb to ipod charges my iphone well.

[Anonymous Coward]

@Chris Morrison

It's available for existing 3G iPhone with 3.0 software, too.

[Scott Mckenzie]

@Fifi

Not sure if you'll be able to do the audio at the same time as TomTom, but there are certainly plenty of stereo's out there that support bluetooth audio playback.

They start quite cheap too if you don't mind losing the CD Player!

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/clarion-fb289rbt-p-6506.html

Whether the iPhone will work with it, i can't confirm... but it *should*...

[Paul Naylor]

@ Chris Morrison

I was under the impression that TomTom was going to be compatible with the current 3G phone too, as long as the v3.0 firmware update was installed? Please say this is the case!! I've been geeking out big time all day about the prospect of having SatNav on my iPhone without having to buy a dedicated device!

Can anyone clear up this issue once and for all? Will TomTom be supporting the current 3G iPhones??

Ta.

[Anonymous Coward]

Not just 3G S

There is no mention on the TomTom website about it being for the 3G S. They simply say it is for the iPhone 3G with the version 3.0 software. Sort it out Reg.

http://iphone.tomtom.com/

[Law]

@ fifi

"Are there any car stereos that support streaming bluetooth audio to take advantage of that new feature of the iPhone too?"

My car stereo was doing it with my N95 before I got the iPhone 3g - it's a Sony MEXBT5100 ... probably better ones out now though, it's over a year old I think.

The stereo could control track etc too - so depending on how well they've implemented the feature, the iphone streaming should be pretty simple to use... I always found it odd it hadn't been implemented sooner. The system also acts as a handsfree kit, which is the main reason I bought the thing - streaming tunes was just a bonus at the time.

Oddly enough - if you use visual voice mail on the current version iPhone 3G and I put my car stereo to bluetooth source, it streams that no problem... odd...

[Mark W]

I don't think this is iPhone 3GS Only...

They announced this last night at the WWDC Keynote, but way way way before they announced the 3GS iPhone - it was in with the section about the accessory interface using things like Bluetooth and the Dock connector.

The only 3GS specific things are the video, video editing, voice control and compass. It's typical apple, though - they do the same with the iPod adding new software features on the newer model - the 3G would be able to do the video editing and voice control - they just choose not to.

I don't believe the TomTom is 3GS specific (in fact, they would be bloody stupid to make it so). I think you'll find it's just Version 3 software specific.

To add to your story - TomTom found that the way the GPS works in the 3G isn't brill, but the mount I've seen from TomTom uses the accessory protocol mentioned as part of software version 3 to allow them to embed a much better GPS chip in the cradle, and it docks and charges the device in one go.

As for an A2DP stereo, JVC do a brilliant range of head units, many of the old ones of which are bluetooth compatible using a little £80 module that goes into the multi-changer socket on the back. In fact, you can daisy chain modules, as I have a DAB module, Bluetooth module and iPod module in the back of my KW-AVX800.

Their new range (such as the KD-AVX77) has Bluetooth and Ipod control built in to the head unit now.

[Simon]

And...

The Tom Tom representative at WWDC said this was compatible with the existing 3g. Presumably, the car kit will include a digital compass, thereby making the experience identical on both versions of the iPhone. He also said that it would allow you to play music on your car stereo, which implies that there's an FM transmitter built in, but that remains to be seen and is open to interpretation.

A bit of research would be nice, ey reg?

[Anonymous Coward]

@Mark W

Video - hardware change to the CCD and image processor required. New lens required. Compass. Hardware change to the accelerometer. Apple have in the past, made the odd tweak "unavailable". In this instance, I think they can be let off. iPhone uses a low powered *assisted* GPS reciever. The TomTom attachment augments this, making it faster, more accurate and independant from geospacial assistance of mast triangulation.