Top Features A Good GPS Navigation App Should Have
GPS Navigation apps represent the perfect example of how the generations of today can take something fundamental and transfer it into a form that's more appropriate for the times they live in. In our case, we're talking about maps, and how they went from paper to fully digital.
Mobile applications that can help you find your way in a new city are far from new, and people had a lot of time to get used to the basic principles of a navigation app. You open the app, you search for the location you want to reach, and the app will create a waypoint for you to follow, from your current position to your destination. However, as mentioned, that's only a GPS app at its most basic level.
Dare to imagine what could be achieved when more features are added into the mix, such alternate paths, waypoint based on different means of transportation, recordings of exterior factors, and so on. That's what we're here to talk about, as we explore the endless possibilities of navigation apps, and see which are the must-have features of GPS navigation app that mobile app developers should include in their final product.
Mass coverage
The point of these applications is to help you navigate through unfamiliar places, whereas if an app's database only covers a couple of cities, or worst, a single town for example, the consumer's needs would have to be very specific ( i.e. get around that particular little town). However, if the app benefits from massive coverage, the number of situations in which it becomes a reliable source of information grows severely, not to mention how much more viable it would become if it offered international support. Also, having support for an offline mode, so people can download entire maps and use them when they have no way of connecting to the internet is also an essential feature that can determine if an app is downloaded or passed on.
Points of interest
A good navigation app focuses not only on the road, but also what's on each side of the road. What this means is that a good app must incorporate points of interest into the main navigation experience. Users benefit greatly for information on the road, so when checking the app to see in how many miles they should turn left, it's very helpful if users could also see where's the nearest available gas station, restaurant, public bathroom, car repair shop, etc. The top navigation apps available right now also go the extra mile and connect with third party services to provide additional options from within the app, such as the ability of ordering food from a restaurant straight from their review page on the navigation app.
Versatility
There are people that plan their trip quite simply, something along the lines of "OK, I have a car, how do I get there?". In this case, a simple GPS navigation app that shows you how to get from point A to point B by car is OK. But most people aren't that easy. Most people take into consideration things like "What if my car breaks down?", "What if my car runs out of gas?" or " I don't have a car, what do I do ?". These scenarios are what determine whether or not an app is OK or great to have. If a GPS navigation solution classifies in the latter category, it must contain an array of information that covers a wide spectrum of possibilities and traveling variations, such as public transportation routes and schedules, ways to get to the destination by other means other than a car, such as by bike or even by foot, and alternate routes for a specific means of transportation, so people have alternatives In case the originally suggested route doesn't work for them. Top apps have incorporated further information such as weather and traffic reports which come as great help on the road.
Conclusion
As a final note, when considering a potential GPS navigation app, it is easy to tell weather that specific app means business or just provides cheap gimmicks. As a final note, when considering a potential GPS navigation app, it is easy to tell weather that specific app means business or just provides cheap gimmicks.
