Navigation software or more commonly we call downloadable mapping apps are giving traditional navigation makers such as Garmin and TomTom as well as automakers including Ford Motor, Chrysler, and General Motors who bundle their navigation offerings, run for their money. Downloaded mapping apps are one of the most used apps lately in the U.S.
The U.S. government made it available for civilians to use GPS signals in 2000. Since that time navigation system providers such as TomTom, Garmin, and OnStar jumped in and enjoyed tremendous growth. With more and more people starting to use smartphones and tablets, free downloadable navigation apps are becoming more and more popular. Several issues contributed to the slowdown of navigation system makers. Difficulties in updating the software, cost of bundles, and capability of smartphones and tablets to provide other information such as traffic including traffic jams and accidents and Web connections are among major reasons. Google Maps is one of the most downloaded free navigation software. Google continue to buy navigation providers such as Waze which it bought in June 2013 to add additional dimensions to its navigation offerings. Apple recently dropped Google Maps and introduced its own navigation software on iPhones.