Google announced its new product Google Maps Navigation will provide navigation instructions in real time directly to phones that operate with the new version of its Android software.

The navigation product, which offers voice recognition and screen guidance that incorporates the online archive of photographs of street Google represents a further step to “fight” iPhone, Apple, and Windows Mobile software from Microsoft, with its Android operating system for smartphones.

Google executives told reporters that the company decided to offer a navigation information for drivers, as part of its mapping service launched four years ago because that was the most requested feature by users. However, the chief executive of Google, Eric Schmidt, said the expansion into a new market with new competitors, was not among the reasons for the company.

The decision represents direct competitive threat to companies like Garmin and TomTom, which sell navigation devices with specialized software. TomTom also produces a navigation application for the iPhone, which is sold by for $ 99.99 in the United States. “This is a tactical problem that occurs after the definition of a strategic objective, namely to offer something that works with some magic in portable devices…,” Schmidt said.

The new navigation service will work with the new 2.0 operating system Android.

Via: Folha.