GPS, aka Global Positioning System, is a widely used service. Before 1984, it was available only to the soldiers fighting for their countries. After a Korean Aircraft crash that killed over 180 people, the US Government decided to provide free access to the basic location tracking feature of the GPS technology to prevent losses of life in accidents that can be avoided. GPS is one of the finest technologies invented to date. It has saved millions of lives.
We can guide ourselves to any given location with GPS navigation technology. We can also trace a person lost in the woods, travel to a distant location without getting lost, etc, with the help of GPS. Airlines, shipping firms, car manufacturers employ it in their latest products. Since 2008, the day Google released Android OS, GPS has become an essential feature in mobile devices and smartwatches. The location tracking technology is so popular that people don’t buy a phone if it doesn’t offer the GPS connectivity option. To use this technology, you must install and use one of the following applications:
Sygic GPS
Sygic is an offline GPS navigation app for iPhone and Android with many features. Once users install and run Sygic on their mobile devices, they’ll be asked to download maps for their current location. To help Sygic determine your precise location, you must turn on your mobile device’s data connection and GPS module. Sygic gives you access to 3D and 2D views of maps of Australia, Asia (India), North and South America, New Zealand, Africa, Russia, and the Middle East. Maps available for download are provided by TomTom, a company specializing in GPS-related products.
Sygic provides safety features that include live status on police, speed warnings for a particular route, and more. It lets users find the shortest way to a specific location. It helps users in finding gas stations that provide discounts on fuel purchases. Sygic can find alternative paths to the target location in case the current route is congested with traffic. It has over 50 million users. The app is popular because it allows users to download maps. Hence, Sygic may come in handy when the mobile data or WiFi connection isn’t working. Sygic has a user-friendly UI, and it provides intuitive navigation controls. It has several interesting features that hikers, frequent travelers, drivers, etc will find helpful. Sygic is one of the top GPS navigation apps for 2022.
Pros:
- Option to download maps for offline use.
- Beautiful UI, smart features.
- Detailed information on traffic.
Cons:
- Maps are large (100+ MB)
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Waze
Waze is a powerful GPS app for iPhone and Android that allows you to dodge congested roads and reach your destination quickly by recommending the shortest routes. It lets users share traffic details with other Waze users. The app shares the status shared by one user with users driving on the same road or heading to the same destination. The status may include information on an accident, police trap, mishap, divert, etc.
Waze enables users to share information on a local place or business they’ve found interesting. It saves the routes the user frequently takes and saves time by showing the shortest paths to the destination. It works only when you activate data connection and GPS on your mobile device. Waze is one of the most downloaded navigation apps of all time. It has 100 MN active installations.
Pros:
- User-friendly design.
- Highly accurate.
- Remembers vital information of users.
- Real-time traffic details.
- Works great on slow connections.
Cons:
- Nothing.
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GMaps come pre-installed with all Android devices. If you’ve ignored this GPS app or have removed it from your device, you may have made a mistake.
How to use this application?
Open the app on your phone or tablet and enable GPS and WiFi or data connection. You’ll now see a world map. Tap the round button above the blue button to make Google Maps locate you on the map. You can also zoom the map to locate yourself manually. If you use the Google search engine often, Google may know your location already. So, you can skip the above task. Like Sygic and Waze, GMaps lets you find alternative and smaller routes to a particular destination.
To use the feature mentioned above, tap on the blue circular button and enter your target location. The Google Maps GPS app allows users to find nearby top-rated businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, stations, hotels, etc. It shows ratings and reviews of your favorite nearby businesses. GMaps enables users to download maps of their region to their mobile devices. After downloading the maps, you can access them offline. GMaps is an accurate application trusted and downloaded by 1 billion users. It is one of the best GPS apps for mobile phones and tablets.
Pros
- Maps open quickly.
- UI is superb.
- The information displayed by the app is accurate.
- Premium features free of cost.
- Determines the user’s location based on Google search history.
- Works in offline mode if you download maps.
Cos:
- None.
Best alternatives to Sygic, Google Maps, and the Waze app
Final thoughts: GPS is an important feature of mobile phones. To properly use it, you must install and use one of the best navigation apps for iPhone and Android I have covered above.
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