News

Excellent news now for those lacking direction in life, delivered to you hot and steaming from Europe’s biggest consumer tech fest, IFA in Berlin, and set to point all Android aficionados the right way.

Whilst stumbling around the über expo on Friday, suspiciously large bockwurst in hand, awkward nods exchanged with someone who turned out to be called 50 Cent and feet, frankly, bleeding from covering miles of glittering gadget goodness and, your selfless LOA reporter stumbled upon the TomTom stand (Stand 210, Hall 9, if you’re attending next week) where the Dutch directions giver had whipped out its latest aid to navigation.

Due for an October roll out, TomTom was previewing its all new, all-encompassing navigation app for Android, featuring all of the GPS marker leader’s on-board maps, IQ Routes and HD Traffic, lovingly designed to give Android users the freshest maps, the fastest routes and the most accurate arrival times.

“We aim to make TomTom content and services available to as many devices and platforms as we can,” said Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director at TomTom. “Bringing TomTom navigation to Android smartphones is, therefore, a significant milestone for us.”

The app will put TomTom in direct competition with Google Maps for the first time but, unlike the Big G’s approach to bearings, the TomTom app will, perhaps obviously, not be free. It will, however, work offline, thereby helping users dodge potentially bank-breaking data roaming charges while abroad, which is a big plus and could prove to be the deal-maker.

Guidance on pricing and availability has yet to be released, but we’ll be sure to steer you on course as soon as they arrive at this destination.