Many bods do not want to create their own bespoke routes, negating absolutely the need for a Garmin / Tom Tom and their associated software. Adding a bespoke GPS device only adds to the expense.Ģ. The latest phones are expensive commodities, so bods want to get ‘best value’ out of them. I think the drive (pun intended) towards phones as do-it-all GPS devices, has been accelerated by:ġ. Since I've got the XT (and the 396 before it) I mostly input destinations via the phone. I think this is the case with some handhelds where you can not have the touch screen, as the buttons will be better in muddy conditions, but if you have to create a new (complex) route, you can stop 10 minutes, faff on your phone (faster & easier) and then send it to the device via Bluetooth. There might be a user case to have smaller even more rugged GPS models on the bike where the more complex interaction (create routes, etc) can be done from the phone via Explore.
I don't think GPSs are going to disappear, it is just that Garmin has been very slow to react. I also want to use the GPS for navigation on/off road and some "connected" features as weather/traffic, exchanging routes with other devices when needed.Įverything else is (to me) extremely superfluous, but I understand they have to sell this stuff. I personally prefer to have a dedicated GPS unit (I actually have a few between pushbike and motorbikes, but because I'm a nerd).
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Most of the requests from a lot of users on these devices are regarding: music, notification for incoming messages, how to pick up phone calls, etc. Just see the difference between TomTom and Garmin. There is also the TFT/shiny object factor. This is also Garmin's fault for having consistently provided "not great software" for decadeds. Most people tend to forget that normal phones will generally destroyed relatively quickly by the bike's vibration, or they will generally overheat pretty often in summer.īut for many, using the phone is "easier". The move to phone and TFT methods seems to be popular on these pagesĭefinitely going direction on another forum I write on.