It looks as though the TomTom for Android app is closer to a release with summer being the favored timeframe by TomTom. The iOS TomTom app is already available and the Android app is likely to be very similar although there will some minor variations. However it seems that even before the Android TomTom has been released some people are saying, “why bother!”
News of the Android app nearing its launch in the Google Play store comes to us from Pocket-Lint who spoke to TomTom co-founder Peter-Frans Pauwels. He confirmed a summer release was “important’ for the company but couldn’t specify a precise date saying simply, “I can confirm it is real.” Obviously TomTom for Android will be optimized for the Android platform so navigation around the app will be different from the iOS app. However Pauwels confirmed that the Android app would offer the same feature set, pointing to the success of the iOS app.
Another aspect not yet known about TomTom for Android is the price that it will be, although of course it seems likely that it would be akin to that of the iOS version of the app. However, if you were hoping for it to arrive on other platforms it seems that TomTom has no plans for this at the moment. Although the iOS app has proved popular it seems that some are wondering why TomTom is bothering with TomTom for Android. An in-depth article on Phone Dog discusses this and points to the fact that Android smartphones are already pre-installed with Google Maps and turn-by-turn navigation, which is completely free.
The current TomTom iOS app will set you back $55.99 but iOS doesn’t offer the same free built-in navigation option so it does seem a valid point to ask why Android users would pay for this app. This along with other observations made in the article leads Phone Dog to say, “Without offering any awe-inspiring or essential features, I have a feeling Android endeavors will be far less successful for TomTom.” However it’s also pointed out that brand recognition will play a part in some people using the app while the lack of knowledge on the part of some customers may also come into play.
It’s certainly an intriguing topic of discussion and we’d like to ask our readers who use Android devices if they can think of any reason why they would pay money for this TomTom Android app when it arrives soon? Let us have your comments on this.