'Your device will continue to function as it does now, but your map will become out of date and as such navigation will be less accurate.' The company said: 'It has become clear that some of our older-generation navigation devices do not have sufficient resources to run the newest maps and software available. In a statement on its website, the brand states that owners of a number of devices manufactured before 2013 will no longer be eligible to receive the periodic updates. Our only irritation is a tendency to go awry on occasion in areas with poor mobile coverage, unless you download the maps first.Sat nav manufacturer TomTom is to stop offering map updates and software support on selected models, some of which were originally offered with 'lifetime' updates. The app is simple to use, smart and free. If you’re not keen on that, you’re going to have to pay for your app. Others will simply display old-fashioned ads while you drive, or try to sell you extras. Most of the apps here will ask you to accept their privacy policy, which means you agree that they can collect data on where you’ve been and sell it to advertisers. So how do the app makers make any money on them? Now we expect the best navigation apps in the world to be given to us for free. To pay, or not to pay?Ī decade ago, we wouldn’t have baulked at paying £100 or more for a sat-nav unit that would clamp onto the windscreen. Points were also added for useful optional extras such as head-up displays. We scored the clarity of the instructions along the route, how the app responded to poor mobile reception and how quickly it reacted to wrong turns.

Once on the move, we stopped and asked it to divert to the nearest petrol station and an electric car rapid chargepoint. Rather than use an exact postcode, we tested if the app’s search function could help us find it. We then asked for directions to a business and a residential address.

Using an iPhone, we downloaded the apps and any associated maps that were required. But are they the best, or are we missing out by not trying a different app? We tried seven systems to help point you in the right direction. There are obvious choices from the tech giants Google and Apple, which will be the default choice for most drivers. Car makers have realised keeping up is a lost cause, so most modern cars incorporate Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to help us use our phone apps safely. You can tailor a system to your needs and it should bring you the latest information about traffic, cameras, closed or new roads and even potholes. It’s easy to see why, because our devices are constantly updated and connected. It’s enough to make you feel sorry for car makers – they spend a fortune developing built-in sat-nav systems, but we all use our smartphones to give us directions instead.

Map updates us 2018 for free tomtom gps