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This Navigation App Is a Google Maps Alternative That Doesn't Use GPS

While Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps are currently the navigation apps that most people use to find a way to reach a specific destination, they’re all based on a technology that can easily become a double-edged sword: GPS tracking.
SmartNavi for Android 6 photos
Photo: Google Play Store
SmartNavi for AndroidSmartNavi for AndroidSmartNavi for AndroidSmartNavi for AndroidSmartNavi for Android
In other words, these apps require GPS information in order to determine your location, and Android Auto and CarPlay users certainly know how easy it is for this data to be inaccurate.

Especially when entering tunnels or areas with poor signal, that is, and while Waze is trying to fix this with beacons, it’ll probably take many years until the whole struggle is gone.

SmartNavi is a new navigation app that promises to deal with the whole thing right now, as it doesn’t rely on GPS to track you on the map.

In fact, the only moment when GPS is required is when starting the app, as SmartNavi needs such access to figure out where you are. But then, using your phone’s sensors, the application can track and count your steps and determine your direction and how fast you’re going.

After detecting your initial location, through WiFi, cell tower location, GPS, or manual setting, SmartNavi does not require GPS anymore. Step based navigation makes you independent from GPS,” the developer of the app explains.

It goes without saying that this navigation app isn’t necessarily the best choice for cars, and accuracy could be a problem when walking too, especially if you walk on different types of terrain. But the main benefit of the app is that it requires less battery power than the likes of Google Maps, and according to estimates, it uses just 2 percent per hour.

With SmartNavis Background Service you can use your favorite apps, while SmartNavi provides its GPS independent location data. Google Maps and others will work normally as if location data was still coming from GPS, although in fact SmartNavi provides this data and makes you independent from GPS and saves a lot of battery,” the dev says.

The application is already available for download for Android users (no iPhone version is planned), but the project has also been published on Kickstarter in an attempt to make more people aware it exists.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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