It is always interesting to see the same day two app developers providing essentially the same service, turn-by-turn GPS navigation, making very contradictory statement.
This week Berlin-based skobbler announced it decided to withdraw its free Android App “GPS Navigation 2“ from the Android market due to its lack of success, while Sygic, a mobile navigation vendor based in Slovakia, is going exactly in the opposite direction, celebrating five million downloads of its 7-day free trial navigation app.
In one hand skobbler was offering an online, free navigation product based on OpenStreetmap and in the other hand Sygic is promoting a software with on-board maps,3D buildings and 3D landscape, text-to-speech, lane guidance, optional traffic information and many additional bells and whistles.
Obviously both solutions have been competing from day one on the Android platform against Google’s Maps Navigation product that offers a decent, free online navigation experience.
This week Berlin-based skobbler announced it decided to withdraw its free Android App “GPS Navigation 2“ from the Android market due to its lack of success, while Sygic, a mobile navigation vendor based in Slovakia, is going exactly in the opposite direction, celebrating five million downloads of its 7-day free trial navigation app.
In one hand skobbler was offering an online, free navigation product based on OpenStreetmap and in the other hand Sygic is promoting a software with on-board maps,3D buildings and 3D landscape, text-to-speech, lane guidance, optional traffic information and many additional bells and whistles.
Obviously both solutions have been competing from day one on the Android platform against Google’s Maps Navigation product that offers a decent, free online navigation experience.
While Sygic does not disclose it conversion rate from the free 1-week trial to its paid solution ($30 for the North American map license and €40 for the European dataset, with country by country map licensing also available), it is clear they have a sizeable number of customers paying to get on-board maps and optional features such as real-time traffic.
The lesson here is that it never pays to fight Google in the same product category. instead providing a high end product with on-board maps can make a difference on Android market.
Kindle Fire?
Skobbler, however, is planning a return on the Android platform, which, by the way, does not always mean Android Market. In a discussion with Skobbler’s chief marketing officer Marcus Thielking, he shared with us his interest in the Kindle Fire.
The success of the low-priced Android Amazon tablet - iSuppli estimates it sold 3.9 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011 - is creating a real market for Android-based tablet apps. Even if the Kindle Fire does not have a GPS it remains suitable for a combined cell-ID and WiFi positioning method, good enough for an on-board map application. Wait and see what Skobbler will launch in that area.
The lesson here is that it never pays to fight Google in the same product category. instead providing a high end product with on-board maps can make a difference on Android market.
Kindle Fire?
Skobbler, however, is planning a return on the Android platform, which, by the way, does not always mean Android Market. In a discussion with Skobbler’s chief marketing officer Marcus Thielking, he shared with us his interest in the Kindle Fire.
The success of the low-priced Android Amazon tablet - iSuppli estimates it sold 3.9 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011 - is creating a real market for Android-based tablet apps. Even if the Kindle Fire does not have a GPS it remains suitable for a combined cell-ID and WiFi positioning method, good enough for an on-board map application. Wait and see what Skobbler will launch in that area.
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