TomTom and HTC have been working together to provide a faster and more accurate mobile GPS solution. They have come up with HTC Locations, which will come preloaded on the HTC Desire HD and HTC Desire Z phones with TomTom"s location rich map data.
HTC Locations will come preloaded on the aforementioned devices first in Europe and Asia, CNET reports, and then will be placed on future HTC handsets as well. While the handsets will be preloaded with the maps, only maps and locations will be offered for free. In order to get turn-by-turn navigation, users will have to subscribe via HTC Locations or HTC Sync.
Maarten van Gool, managing director of TomTom licensing, had this to say about HTC Locations:
I am very pleased to be providing HTC customers with TomTom"s accurate location and navigation content on their phones wherever they are. The beauty of it is that the maps are preloaded and instantly available at users" fingertips. For the first time, this makes the power of TomTom navigation content available "in-pocket" for HTC smartphone users.
TomTom has seen their own sales decline as more users look to mobile phone solutions for their GPS. Less people are buying an actual GPS, and more turn to simple smartphone applications. TomTom"s view is that preloading their content rich maps, versus the free Google Maps, will help users justify subscribing to the service for turn-by-turn navigation.