phone navigation - are there any real differences between apps

[chilswelluk]

I have no experience of navigation on a phone, but I realise there are zillions of navigation apps available. But my question is are there any real fundamental differences in functionality between the apps?

I understand that each app will use a slightly different GUI, but won't the underlying map data be the same? Presumably all of them use either google maps or openstreetmap (with the exception of maps for walkers)? And I guess the ones that use openstreetmap may have an option to load your own custom map tiles, or load maps on a country by country basis? I guess some of them also support navigating with georeferenced images. But really are there any fundamental differences between the various navigation apps for phones? Am I missing something?

[branco]

I also think that they don't have much of a difference at all. Unless they use apple maps, which may affect their accuracy (lol, no hate, I'm an apple user)

[Warin]

Originally Posted by branco

I also think that they don't have much of a difference at all. Unless they use apple maps, which may affect their accuracy (lol, no hate, I'm an apple user)

Iphone app mapout uses open street map data.


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While apps may 'use' a certain data base some may chose to ignore certain parts of it, some may show it in a different way, some may show it in another priority.

Some apps give control over what is shown, how it is shown and may even have selectable different modes that the operator can configure.

Don't think any apps has all features. Some apps are harder to use than others. Good Luck.