GPS Limitation Of 3G iPhone Reveals Beauty Of 3rd Party Apps!

The applause shook San Franscisco’s Moscone Hall when Steve Jobs announced built-in GPS in the 3G iPhone.

Although I’m pretty satisfied with the location approach taken by the current iPhone, I am happy the 3G will have built-in GPS.

Then this came from Gizmodo–

iPhone Built-In GPS Official, With Live Tracking (But No Turn-by-Turn Navigation)

This time last year that would have been the end of the story. This time last year if Apple said "No Turn-by-Turn Navigation" on the 3G iPhone THERE WOULD BE NO TURN-BY-TURN NAVIGATION ON THE 3G iPHONE. PERIOD END OF DISCUSSION!

But that would be so… 2007.

Here in 2008 things are different. (Or soon will be.)

Even before the disapointment over the 3G iPhone’s GPS limitations set in, Dutch navigation company TomTom stepped in to save the day. They formally announced plans to release a version of their navigation software for the iPhone and to make it available via the new AppStore.

Crisis Averted!

That, however, isn’t the big story here.

No, the big story is that by opening the iPhone to 3rd Party Developers, Apple released some of its stranglehold over it and, in the process, opened the door to problem-solving like never before. If Apple doesn’t provide turn-by-turn navigation that’s just fine– someone else will. 

And that’s the REAL news today.