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TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

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Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#241

Post by insane_dreamer »

Aeolun wrote: post #205
Dinux wrote: post #142

I don't understand the 'everything was better when it wasn't google' mentality that is so often found in these threads. My dad used to work at TomTom right here in the Netherlands. They used to be a fun and innovative company to work for. When it became apparent they entered a multibillion dollar business it was all about the money. As someone who used TomTom before other options became available I can honestly say t…

Google maps is fantastic. It beats literally everything else I can think of. But that’s scary. I want a competitor that offers at least roughly similar quality, but Google is so far ahead that it’s no contest.

In my experience, Apple Maps is on par with Google Maps (at least in the U.S.), esp with latest improvements in non-car routes (i.e., cycling, though I use Komoot for that anyway). However Google tends to have more POI (they're further ahead in the ad biz).

With so many iPhones and Apple Maps being an smoother experience (Siri/OS integration), it definitely competes heavily with Google (at least in US).

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#242

Post by insane_dreamer »

gambiting wrote: post #47
kleiba wrote: post #3

For the youngens here on HN: TomTom was once one of the leading manufacturers of GPS navigation systems for cars - purchased as an accessory that was stuck to the wind screen. This was in a time before every car had a screen built in, and before everyone had a smart phone with Google Maps in their pocket. I guess that product is a prime example for becoming irrelevant by society progressing. I actually still use an o…

I have a modern car with a built-in satnav as well as Android Auto support, and yet I still use my TomTom 5000 - it's just better. Definitely better than crappy Google Maps, definitely better than volvo's built-in maps, and it's without any kind of comparison how much better it is than Apple Maps. You get in the car, it auto-selects the destination based on the patterns it learnt(so if you get in at 7am on a workday,…

> it auto-selects the destination based on the patterns it learnt

Apple Maps does this too

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#243

Post by kiicia »

Aeolun wrote: post #205
Dinux wrote: post #142

I don't understand the 'everything was better when it wasn't google' mentality that is so often found in these threads. My dad used to work at TomTom right here in the Netherlands. They used to be a fun and innovative company to work for. When it became apparent they entered a multibillion dollar business it was all about the money. As someone who used TomTom before other options became available I can honestly say t…

Google maps is fantastic. It beats literally everything else I can think of. But that’s scary. I want a competitor that offers at least roughly similar quality, but Google is so far ahead that it’s no contest.

check mapy.cz for even more precise and better looking maps

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#244

Post by Kukumber »

Dinux wrote: post #142

I don't understand the 'everything was better when it wasn't google' mentality that is so often found in these threads. My dad used to work at TomTom right here in the Netherlands. They used to be a fun and innovative company to work for. When it became apparent they entered a multibillion dollar business it was all about the money. As someone who used TomTom before other options became available I can honestly say t…

How do you compete against someone who has a diversified portfolio of products and can let you use one for "free"

How do you compete against "free" from companies that are able to build monopolies with the help of institutions?

It's easy to say "it was shit before google", when innovations weren't available

> When Google Maps became a viable alternative TomTom continued with the same business model, same paid map updates, same shitty bloatware necessary for map updates etc..

I agree with that one, they didn't adapt

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#245

Post by usrusr »

Dinux wrote: post #148
afknewsagency wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This works for the consumer who wants to get from a to b. And doesn't mind being advertised to or tracked via Google. But companies, uber, lyft, carmakers, location intelligence firms etc need commercial mapping and location tech. What TomTom offers exists more for these people than the end consumer these days.

We use maps extensively in our products and Mapbox has been a belessing eversince we started using it. I would argue Mapbox is far better suited for development and product integration than Google Maps is. It is developer and user friendly, offers a wide range of mapping and layering products. It easy to use and affordable small and medium sized businesses.

Given how very little the TomTom announcement actually says, I've read it as a (desperate?) attempt to pivot into the mapbox market. In any case, nice to see OSM eating the mapping world.

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#246

Post by gehsty »

drsopp wrote: post #129

I will never forgive TomTom's bait and switch: I bought a lifetime subscription of their app for my iPhone for about $50. After a few years they stopped the service claiming that "lifetime" meant the lifetime of the device.

Out of interest how long did you expect them to support a lifetime subscription for?

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#247

Post by [deleted] »

Dinux wrote: post #142

I don't understand the 'everything was better when it wasn't google' mentality that is so often found in these threads. My dad used to work at TomTom right here in the Netherlands. They used to be a fun and innovative company to work for. When it became apparent they entered a multibillion dollar business it was all about the money. As someone who used TomTom before other options became available I can honestly say t…

[deleted]

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#248

Post by timeon »

netsectoday wrote: post #179
fs111 wrote: post #10

I worked at Tele Atlas/TomTom until 10 years ago. There is literally nothing new in this announcement except that they are going to "steal" data from OSM now. sensor derived data, user generated content, camera vans all of that is not new. All this existed when I left, so did the people mentioned in this announcement that are still running the show. I always hoped they would eventually realize that they need a fresh…

Do you know that Microsoft Bing maps also "steals" the OSM data? They did some very clever "reverse stealing" as well when they contributed back to the project by providing millions of accurate building footprints. Yes, I'm being sarcastic. It's a win-win situation when ANY large mapping group joins OSM. At the very least; they will accidentally contribute road-level improvements when they work with the data. I rely…

License aside Microsoft at least provided Bing satellite imagery source for OSM mappers before there was Maxar and others. Actually there were others before (was it Yahoo?) but that is not the point.

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#249

Post by cinntaile »

toyg wrote: post #124
cinntaile wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Tom Tom used to charge for map updates, which became a no-go for many. This is what led to their demise, no?

No; their demise was the rise of smartphones who can do pretty much everything they can, for free. GPS navigation was commoditized as part of the smartphone arms race.

What do you mean no? You're saying the same thing, you just added a step to explain why the alternatives were cheaper (free).

Re: TomTom’s new mapping platform and ecosystem

#250

Post by drsopp »

gehsty wrote: post #246
drsopp wrote: post #129

I will never forgive TomTom's bait and switch: I bought a lifetime subscription of their app for my iPhone for about $50. After a few years they stopped the service claiming that "lifetime" meant the lifetime of the device.

Out of interest how long did you expect them to support a lifetime subscription for?

As long as the existence of their service through an iPhone app.
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