It is so easy to get lost in all these shops, buildings, museums, and highways. Luckily, we are living in the 21st century and have an alternative to road maps, which may be so baffling and challenging for many people. Nowadays we can easily build, explore or even route a trip with a help of a simple smartphone. As a matter of fact, everyone can find and download from the app store the most appealing mobile navigation application for him or her.
The number of functions these apps provide is really enormous! They are not just about the maps themselves, they are about finding an immaculate solution for anything related to navigation.
The statistics show that roughly 77% of smartphone owners opt for using a GPS navigation app. Thanks to such applications people can not only avoid getting lost and route their way to a particular object or place, but also read some reviews and share this pivotal information with friends. Moreover, navigation apps take into consideration road safety, timings, traffic and available facilities nearby when building your route. These apps really make our life easier and even safer, since it can alert drivers about possible dangers.
Although, the question arises: “how to make a successful GPS app which will outperform Google Maps known by everyone?” As a matter of fact, its closest rival Waze, which can boast of some gamification elements, has more than 100 million downloads compared to one billion ones owned by Google Maps.
Despite such a big difference, Waze’s download rate shows remarkable figures that distinctively demonstrate requirements for navigation application alternatives. Some people avoid using Google Maps due to lack of privacy and complex businesses.
If you are interested in building your own successful navigation app, you should take into consideration a number of details starting from the targeted audience and ending with an inventory of functions. The “MadAppGang” team can boast of a solid experience in building mobile GPS navigation applications and now we are ready to share our knowledge with you! If you are serious about creating your own app, this article is something you really need to read! So let’s get down to business.
Who opts for using navigation apps and why?
Virtually all people need GPS navigation for their smartphones and everyday life. Everyone who frequently walk, cycle, take leisurely drives, or commute may find such apps entirely beneficial. Thanks to such programs people can easily find their current location, build a route to another location, watch some places via app and find a needed shop, eating place or chemistry nearby.
Due to a number of services GPS navigations apps provide, there are a few types of them you should know about:
1. Travelling Apps – provide access to detailed offline maps while others suggest intelligent tour guides and suggestions for customers.
2. Commuting Apps – provide users with necessary transport information for making the passengers life much easier. Taking into account road accidents, weather conditions and heavy traffic during rush hours, such apps present the transport schedule and its location in real time. By downloading such app you will be able to control road traffic and plan your time efficiently.
3. Driving Apps – simply the ones that build the best route. Such apps are of great importance for professional taxi drivers and representatives of shipping companies. It is interesting to know that a number of companies prefer to use a single product needed exactly for the company needs. The main requirements for a navigation app in this case – extremely detailed maps which are very easy to use.
4. Indoor Navigation apps – give the opportunity to spot objects or places inside a facility, build the best route and share them with other users. Such navigation has been already adopted by some airport apps. Thanks to it passengers can easily find check-in counters, gates whilst retail apps assist people in finding the needed items much faster.
Main features of a successful navigation app
The main thing you should remember about while creating your own navigation map is to build a powerful and detailed map with a bulk of vital information. Remember that the more informative and convenient it will be the faster success will come.
Make it adaptable!
To build a successful app you should think like a person who wants to use it. Since the process of driving is a little bit monotonous, the drivers’ attention span gets lowered. Due to this it would be a great idea to make your app really eye catching. Designs appealing for users may include the dark mode for night driving, a big keyboard for easy tapping and things like that. Voice controls will be also a good option for drivers to enable hands-free searching.
Your app should be capable of giving recommendations and warnings to drivers. Navigation applications should inform about moving in the wrong direction, accidents on the road, poor weather conditions and change the route taking into account the above mentioned aspects. In such a way your application will care for the drivers’ safety.
Some extra improvements
The possibility to integrate music into your app will be a great bonus to users. It would enable them to enjoy their favourite songs while driving or just getting stuck in a traffic jam. The statistics show that the most successful navigation apps offer this function.
Collecting information from speed cameras and satellites will also add to your app’s popularity. Moreover, building visualised routes with the means of augmented reality are very appealing for the users.
There should be some different facilities for shippers and just drivers. The first ones need a profile section to include their professional information, while the second ones need an option to save their preferences, certain places, and to hook up to their friends.
How equip relevant technologies with a GPS
Thanks to a GPS antenna each smartphone connects to GPS. Although to make use of it in full force you have to download a navigation application. There are a number of APIs for map integration designed for each operating system among which Mapbox, Atlas and many others.
Chatting
If your application presupposes connection between drivers of professional shipping or transportation companies, the messaging function and document exchange option should be added. But there are some challenges concerning regions, for example, Twilio can’t work properly everywhere. In such a case a company should build a specific communication platform powered by a local provider.
Don’t forget about social media
As everyone knows, social media became a crucial part of our everyday life. If people tend to share every nicety happening with them, what should be told about such things as travelling and visiting some new places? Due to this a lot of successful travelling navigation apps can boast of a social media sharing function. Thanks to it, users can share their trip routes with friends, chat with them and even create a specific community. Such an option will definitely make people engaged into using your product. If your targeted audience is not connected with professional workers and more tourists oriented, then the social media integration option is worth considering.
Keep abreast of the times
The modern world tends to automatize as many processes as possible. Due to this, voice activated controls have become more and more popular. Drivers find it extremely convenient to search and make requests with the help of their voice, not hands. It goes without saying, that this function makes driving safer, since the driver doesn’t have to take his or her mind off a steering wheel. That is why it is so important to include hands-free options into your future product.
Talking about new tendencies it should be mentioned that a lot of companies nowadays develop and test AR tools. Among AR applications you may know the Japanese one known as “ PinnAR ”. Google Maps provides AR navigation for areas covered with Google Street View and plans to improve the Visual Positioning System of the company to make orientation more precise. Exactly by implementing AR technologies the digitized apps may be taken to the next level.
Build the best product!
As our experience shows customers stop using GPS navigation apps because of poorly detailed maps, disappointing interface, slow search functions, irritating advertising, high battery consumption, or a lack of hands-free options. Taking all these drawbacks made by other people into consideration, you may avoid repeating their mistakes and create a unique and practical GPS navigation app.
The more important thing for a future app developer is to decide on the targeted audience, since the needed app functions depend on the age and purposes of the clients. The first question you should ask yourself is: “ What do these people really need?”
Your targeted audience may be mostly travellers or professional drivers. Some drivers may be elderly or have some physical disabilities. You should pay attention to all these factors, while building an app. Your project should be shaped exactly due to the targeted users requirements. Only in such a way your project will add true value to the market.
Another pivotal aspect in building a successful application is to find a highly professional team which will be your second hand for a relatively long period of time. Always ask for the company’s cases and make sure the team is experienced enough to bring your ideas to life.
Of course, professionals may ask you to pay more, but in this case your desire to save money can turn into a big catastrophe, since you can lose all your investments.
Moreover, if you have already come up with the idea of a GPS navigation app, but do not know what to do next you can contact our team and receive a consultation. We work to make your life easier!
