(PhysOrg.com) -- All About Phones, a Dutch-based tech site has released information that implies that Google Maps Navigation will have an offline version before the end of the summer. The information, which is only a rumor at this point, may well be true, when you consider some of the technological advances that make this possible.
The Google Maps Navigation app for Android received an update in December of 2010 that allows mobile devices to cache routes and the surrounding areas. In this update users can create and navigate a route without Internet connection, but users cannot currently enter a new destination and navigate to that location. An upgrade could allow for navigation without being in the WiFi zone.
This feature will also be introduced on a future Windows 7 phone. The direction system will be giving turn-by-turn directions with the help of the Nokia’s Ovi Maps app. So, these could be a move towards negating a competitive edge on the part of Goggle.
If this system turns out to become a regular feature of smartphones, it could put a serious dent in the stand alone GPS unit market, since consumers are unlikely to shell out $200 for something that they can get for free on their phone.
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