Mapquest has jumped on the trend of free smartphone apps for voice-guided directions, becoming the first iPhone app to do so.
The latest version of Mapquest 4 Mobile includes basic GPS voice navigation. It doesn't include spoken street names or detailed renderings of every turn, but it will allow iPhone users to get free directions without having to look down at their phones.
Google was the first to offer free voice directions for a smartphone, with Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0 and higher. Nokia followed with a version of Ovi Maps that uses text-to-speech for voice guidance. Both of those apps have more features than Mapquest's offering, such as traffic information, close-up images for turns and automatic rerouting.
Mapquest's free app is pretty basic. If you miss a turn, a dialog box pops up saying you're off route, and you must press a button to chart a new path. There's no text-to-speech, just basic directions, as in "turn left now." I also wish the app included some basic controls for iTunes, so you wouldn't have to quit the app to change tracks if the phone is plugged into the car stereo. The ability to let the screen dim between turns is a nice touch, though.
Drawbacks aside, a free navigation app with limited features is better than no app at all, and Mapquest can always improve through updates. This doesn't bode well for GPS companies like TomTom and Magellan, whose $60 and $40 U.S. navigation apps have until now been unchallenged by free competition on the iPhone.
