Using a stand alone smart phone as a GPS

Paul Clancy wrote:
I have one co pilot license on multiple iPhones. And it does NOT require a data connection to work. I do prefer my garmin for larger screen and clearer spoken directions. Also the garmin has voice recognition. So copilot is used as a backup. It could easily be my main device if needed.

Are you sure about the only one license on multiple devices with CoPilot? I have CoPilot on my Android phone and whenever I get a new phone I need to contact CoPilot to have them decommission the old phone and recommission the new. I could pay for an additional license if I wanted to use it on multiple devices.

IMO, there isn't much reason to need to see the screen when driving with a gps. I often use my phone for gps, I turn the screen off and stick it in my shirt pocket and can follow the spoken directions without ever needing to look at the screen. I haven't used my Garmin stand alone gps in quite a few years since my phone is a much better gps.

rockhillmanor wrote:
... You will need to have a provider for the data. No data access, no GPS info transmitted.

I really, really wish people wouldn't spread this false information. The GPS data comes from satellites and is NOT dependent on cellular data access. Some apps require a data connection in order to constantly refresh the map data while other apps store the map data locally so don't need a data connection.

CoPilot is an app that stores the map data locally so it can be used even when there is no cellular connection available.

BTW, standalone gps units from Garmin, Magellan, etc... store their map data on the device which is why they don't need a cellular connection.