MapQuest on Thursday announced the launch of its voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation application for the iPhone which offers service on a subscription plan.
The $0.99 application () comes with a 14-day free trial, after which users can purchase one month of service for $3.99, three months for $9.99, or one year for $29.99. The subscription is enabled from within the application, which features maps for both the U.S. and Canada.
According to MapQuest, features of the application include:
- 2-D and 3-D moving maps to help people follow the route as well as spoken directions with street names
- Route optimization to avoid areas with accidents, construction or other events affecting traffic
- Full route corridor download at the beginning of the journey enables the application to quickly re-routes in case of a missed turn, regardless of network coverage
- One-tap search for businesses along a route via a palette of on-map widgets in categories such as hotels, shopping, gas stations, coffee shops, parking garages and more
- More than 16 million points of interest and maps for the U.S. and Canada
This month, TomTom is its $120 car kit for the iPhone and iPod touch. Contrary to early reports, the hardware kit will not ship with a copy of the .
However, the hardware does include an external GPS receiver that is said to improve reception on the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G, and allow it for the first-generation iPhone and iPod touch. TomTom has said its car kit will work with other navigation applications.
A comparable business model to MapQuest's application is . That application is free and offers voice guidance, 3D on-screen navigation, and automatic rerouting. It, too requires a monthly service subscription, at $9.95.