Google Maps Navigation in India

There is no doubt that if there is any OS that came as close to the quality of the iOS, it’s the Android OS. If you are some where in the west, more often than not, you’ll only have to choose between iOS or Android. But being in India, there is one Nokia too. iPhone is very reserved in this part of the world (to affluent people), mostly due to the absence of a contract based system like in the west. But of late, I’m hearing a lot of people talking about the Android OS. Again, the reason for it could be that Android mobiles’ are cheap (in price). You have the latest Samsung Galaxy 3 and Galaxy 5 just around Rs.10000 mark with Android 2.1 OS and many others for less than that too. So if you are thinking of upgrading your device to an Android device, it’s most likely from a Nokia device.

Here is the catch. If I have to name any one stand out feature in a Nokia Smart phone that makes me go for Nokia instead of Android, it should be the free Voice guided turn by turn Navigation via Ovi Maps.

Android on the other hand has Voice guided turn by turn Navigation via Google Maps, but, it is limited to the United States. Only very recently, the navigation is made available for a few European countries.

If you try opening the Maps App for Navigation from an Android device (2.1 and up) in India, you’d get the error, Google Maps Navigation not available for this location.

So if you love your Ovi Maps navigation in your Nokia device, you’ll hate your new Android device until Google maps navigation is made available for India (or unless the maker of the Android device has made available an alternate third party Satnav app). And hell, no body knows except Google when that is going to come live.

If you are thinking of buying the latest hotty, the Galaxy S, please do remember this (Of course you can use the GPRS Navigation in Galaxy S, but that will burn your pockets).

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