Updates to TomTom's original iPhone App will end in Sep

Darren

For those of you still using the original TomTom iPhone app, the company has just released an update with a note forewarning that updates will cease in September and citing changes in TomTom and Apple technologies for the decision.

TomTom launched their all new smartphone app, TomTom GO, in 2015. It reflected the user interface changes that had been made on it's PNDs and, unlike its predecessor, the new app was free and came bundled with a limited number of navigation miles. To unlock unlimited navigation you have to buy one or three years access.

Unfortunately the app met with decidedly luke warm reviews. The interface was dumbed down and, despite some updates, lacks core functionality that was available in the original app.

So many of us have clung on to the original despite TomTom offering a free upgrade for those who had bought the older version. But without map updates it seems we will have little option but to move to TomTom GO or another navigation app after September.

Source: www.tomtom.com
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Darren Griffin

Des · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 27, 2004 Posts: 4

The old app was and still is near perfect for me. My only small grumble is that i have to change the speaker output back to iPhone everytime my phone connects to my cars bluetooth, but thats a minor issue.

I tried the new app when it was released, but found it very slow to update - especially on roundabouts when trying to figure out which exit to take, i could be 100 yards past the exit before it caught up with my location - useless. At the time i was using a brand new iPhone 6s so I couldn't even blame it on a slow processor.

The screen with all the 3D bulidings looks nice, but in reality, too distracting, not necessary, and probably added to the speed issues above.

Yesterdays map update of the original app doesn't include the new underpass near Coventry airport which has been open for a few months now, hopefully that will come before they stop the updates

Not happy.

Dippy · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 04, 2006 Posts: 124

Also still using the original app as I hated the new one at first sight the minute it was launched and never looked at it again since.

As long as it still keeps actually working, I can live without map updates for a while yet. I've not updated the in-car system I also have since 2014, and it's not really caused any problems.

Might get another couple of years out of the old TomTom app yet. Failing that, the free ones are better than they used to be I guess.

mistersaxon

..., as is usually the case with TomTom, I am not getting a choice about this.

In fact choice is in very short supply with the new app - the option to avoid a part of a route has appeared in the menu now but is permanently greyed out, colours can't be changed (annoying if you have a sight colour defect in their selected ranges) and there is generally a lot of stuff that's just not there (and POIs are the main gripe as the Documents folder is, once again, locked away so goodbye all my customer POIs *sob*)

Pasting an address is not the generally simple thing it used to be in the old app either and selecting any route other than "fastest" could take you almost anywhere, with "Eco" routes often doubling the journey time for my regular trips. Luckily I know the way for those and use the TomTom for traffic info but when you aren't following the route you don't get traffic info. When a delay does come up the re-routing is usually not too hard to do but being offered alternates to save e.g. 40 seconds is a little pointless.

On the plus side the presentation of alternate routes is well done with the visual options being very Google Maps-like, the voices do have a proper attempt at saying road names (though that can make the amount of talking the app does pretty oppressive - on a close set of roundabouts and junctions it never shuts up since it tries to repeat everything three times), the overall graphics are good (but sometimes very laggy compared to the old app) and at least if you are a user of the old app you get 3 years of unlimited use of the new app (but only on one device, sadly). I also like the visualisation of fuel stops on routes and the ability to select them easily.

Still, for all that I may end up looking for a replacement app - something with some OS integration that isn't an afterthought, something with support for my POIs (and yours PocketGPSWorld!), something I can customise to suit myself.

Anyone got any recommendations?
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Rich.
Kit: TomTom iPhone WEurope on iPhone6s+ / iPad Pro
w/ Interphone BT headset on a Honda Blackbird (should change this really - the bike, not the headset)

NJSS · Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 10:37 am Post subject: TomTom - Go Mobile for Android

I trust & assume that TomTom will continue to support & enhance Go Mobile for Android which I use, and which seems to have generally good reviews. Thumbs Up

unwanted · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 31, 2006 Posts: 34

not much different from TomTom not supporting older SatNav models... they claim the reason is there isnt enough memory on the older models to store the maps... the wierd thing is both our TomTom 300 and ONEv3 have there own storage SD cards (2GB) which have ample space for UK maps that I need... but TomTom have said I can no longer use our TomToms and have to go buy a newer TomTom...

just think they are trying to find ways to get money from customers happy with their older devices...

Allan_whoops · Frequent Visitor Joined: Feb 18, 2006 Posts: 369

Bratters · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 09, 2009 Posts: 6

Problem is that although you store the route on your SD card, the device still has to load it into it's own memory to use.

BoJo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 1

I use Here Maps on an iPhone. (Now called Here WeGo).
The app is free to download, Maps are available for most parts of the world and are free to download too, Obviously best done BEFORE you travel. The maps are updated a couple of times per year. My existing contacts are searchable within the app. It also shows live traffic and automatically reroutes.
A button for things nearby and a button for Navigate to home.
You can download voices in various languages. The English UK one includes spoken street names.
It might not be the most dynamic navigation app, but it works very well AND IS TOTALLY FREE.
What is there not to like. Give it a try, As I said, It is free.

matthewj · Frequent Visitor Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 751

The new app seems to have been improved since the first release, but the biggest issue from my point of view is simple usability when in the car. The touch targets are stupidly small, or you have to scroll to get them. With the old app I can tap it, then (obviously when safe - I can go minutes before I get the next tap if not) I know where to tap to get the next thing. The new one seems much worse in this regard. Hah, just tapped on the item at the bottom, which has a speed camera picture - I wonder what that does? Oh, I seem to have just reported a speed camera! Stupid.

Hmm, just been through the options. It isn't as nice, but I will have to see how it goes I guess. The thing that will make me use it when the old one stops is the traffic info. We still pay for that - my wife and I - as it is very valuable to us.

Tobas · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 90

I use Waze, it had a new bypass from M6 J34 to Morecambe online the day it opened. Still waiting for TomTom to add it, despite me submitting details of the new road months ago. It knocks at least 20 minutes off the daytime journey, something TomTom users aren't aware of.

I also use Sygic but paused that while their maps update as well, they use TomTom data.

Used Here for a while but stopped when it took me into a zoo car park suggesting it was a direct road through the camel and elephant enclosures. Seriously, on Fuerteventura.

matthewj · Frequent Visitor Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 751

iantj · Occasional Visitor Joined: May 08, 2009 Posts: 7

I'll try the TomTom Go App on iPhone again, but suspect that Tom Tom have finally lost the prospect of any money from me & will end up on Google or Apple maps.

I gave up on the TomTom Go after 2 trips because it wasn't designed for use on a touch screen (a criticism that applies to the standalone PNDs too - pointlessly small touch target for operations), and most features were missing (for several releases).
A very useful enhancement is the ability to switch to a 2D view with all traffic in your area... but not enough to cover the other failings.

Biggest lack is still the ability to avoid a "road block" (normally a closed road not in traffic information).

Tobas · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 90

MaFt · Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:04 pm Post subject:

NB: The original post has been corrected from December to September.

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