Neil Hughes
The price on handtec.co.uk, discovered by Daniweb.com, is the first possible glimpse at the anticipated product's retail cost. On Amazon.com, the least expensive new TomTom sells for $129.99, while most sell for more than $200, making the iPhone model competitively priced (excluding the cost of the handset).
When reached by AppleInsider Wednesday morning, TomTom spokesman Kevin Carter said the company could not confirm the price.
"At this point we haven't publicly announced pricing," Carter said, "either in the U.K. or the U.S."
First unveiled by Apple at the WWDC keynote in June, the accessory kit will act as a basic suction-cup mount for the dashboard or windshield. Additionally, it will amplify the GPS signal, support both hands-free calling and music through the stereo system, and charge the iPhone from the car's 12-volt port. A release date is not currently available.
The application is said to take advantage of iPhone OS 3.0's support for true, turn-by-turn directions. The software will have both nation-specific and international maps from TomTom, will work in either landscape or portrait modes, and give voice directions.
The software will reportedly be available for separate purchase from the App Store, and would rely on the iPhone's internal GPS receiver. The hardware kit, however, comes with its own, separate GPS. It will be one of the first external accessories to take advantage of iPhone 3.0's capabilities.
The TomTom iPhone mount will boost the device's GPS reception.
The TomTom has already been beaten to market by a few competing options. The AT&T Navigator application hit the App Store in June. The software is free, but requires a $9.95 monthly service subscription, which the exclusive U.S. iPhone carrier plans to market alongside new iPhone sales at its retail and online stores as a bolt-on service. And the Navigon MobileNavigator application is priced at $99, but on sale for $69 through Aug. 15. It features NAVTEQ maps, lane assist, and day and night modes.
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114 Comments
Oh well then. Wont be buying one of those considering you can get a TomTom for the same cost. Are TomTom stating that their base model is actually free then and all you are paying for when you buy that is the cradle to hold it and the software?
You can get Tom Tom 7 UK & Ireland for £39.99 plus VAT at the moment (on DVD) and Bluetooth GPS receivers for as little as £12 plus VAT
Just because people are used to paying a bit more for Apple kit doesn't mean that they are open to price gouging by third parties.
Wow, no thanks!
Oh well then. Wont be buying one of those considering you can get a TomTom for the same cost. Are TomTom stating that their base model is actually free then and all you are paying for when you buy that is the cradle to hold it and the software?
Just because people are used to paying a bit more for Apple kit doesn't mean that they are open to price gouging by third parties.
Oh no, what you are paying for is the ability to lump your gps into the same device...
At that price, thieves will be breaking car windows just to steal the mounts.
Ok. This made me laugh. Competitively priced, excluding the cost of the handset. So, Competitively priced, excluding usefulness.
No handset, means no display, no maps, no voice directions, no visual directions.
All in all, I was looking forward to the TomTom unit. Not anymore. Going to guess that they will also charge for the maps themselves. Maybe they can throw in a subscription fee to make it even less appealing.