The most common term that we can associate with most people in today’s time is that they are ‘busy’. With children reaching school on time to women and men reaching work on time, everything is important in today’s time.
This makes people seek the shortest & best route for reaching their desired locations. Apps like Google maps these days are highly functional in serving such purposes for all.
Currently, we can find navigation applications in 80% of Smartphone owners’ phones. If we throw some light on the latest navigation app industry, we can see that GPS apps will acquire around $35.56 billion in revenue by the year 2021.
How profitable the market is, can be well understood. One can easily avail of mobile application development services to build interactive map apps. Stay tuned to learn how your navigation app can offer tough competition to the most innovative map app to date which is Google Maps.
Selecting alternatives for Google maps
Creating a geolocation app in today’s era can bring in a humongous amount of revenue as this industry is all set to reach $50 billion by 2024. But there already are big players like Waze, and Google Maps & a lot of smaller alternatives.
Your app like Google Maps must stand out to acquire a robust position in the present market. It is vital to learn about a few GPS mapping apps for Android alternatives to understand what you are competing against.
☛ Bing maps
A location-based app builder can help anyone create a normal app like Google Maps but it might not carry the necessary features. It is always best to avail of custom Android app development services to get hands-on on only functional & next-gen apps.
Now one example is Bing maps which offers a clean & fresh user interface. Most of the features present in Google Maps are also present here including aerial, streetside, and road layers.
Along with driving, there are walking and transit maps present as well.
☛ MapQuest
Create a map app, MapQuest proves to be a very good example. It offers a mobile application as well as functions as a web-based tool.
MapQuest functions by identifying a user’s current location depending on the IP address or the phone GPS in case the user is using a mobile. The app only requires the location for showing directions for witnessing the route.
Users can get hands-on accurate route directions. It also incorporates current distance, fuel costs, and traffic levels.
☛ Waze
If you want to enhance your android mobile app experience, Waze is the location mapping app for you. Not just apps like Google Maps but creating custom map apps like Waze can also help you shape a robust one.
You can easily search for any location you want & plan routes with the live map feature of the app.
You can even click on locations right on the map for dropping pins & utilizing the map editor for customizing respective areas on the map.
Features necessary for a navigation application
There are some core elements of the best mapping apps for Android without which it might get lost in the crowd. The inclusion of correct features is compulsory for apps like Google Maps to succeed.
☛ Navigation & geolocation
When you want to know how to build a GPS app, it is vital to know that the core of these apps is the map. Such applications employ the GPS system for locating objects and determining user locations for showcasing routes.
Error minimization to large extent is possible with the incorporation of the functionality of cell ID as it depends on data arriving from mobile operators.
The combination of a cell ID and GPS will always lead to precise geolocation services.
☛ Rerouting
Your app like Google maps must include the feature of rerouting. With this, a driver making a wrong turn can quickly get their hands on the reroute.
Drivers will never want to wait for a very long time for the application to perform route recalculation. They will need precise directions rapidly.
☛ User profiles and authorization
The GPS map maker you choose must carry the functionality of letting users create their own personal accounts.
When you create interactive map apps like this, users can use the space for leaving notes, interacting with various other drivers, and writing reviews.
When there are features like this, you can contrast a feeling of trust among users as they can watch the person who shared all the tips and also the warnings.
☛ Voice directions
Along with geolocation services, iPhone mapping applications must provide users with the choice of voice directions for routes.
For instance, developers can utilize Google Maps Directions API that enables users to select the voice of their choice from the list & promptly implement it.
Users find such features very appealing as usually, drivers receive directions through voice. Also, you have the liberty of putting in a little spice and employing someone renowned for them to be the app’s voice.
Recommendations for building a successful navigation app
The following four points are essential to follow for the successful development of GPS map apps for Android.
☛ A clear UX/UI design
A mobile app instantly becomes more desirable with an eye-catching design. Nowadays design is not restricted to just creating objects. Users can only encounter the best experiences when developers work by keeping UX in their minds.
The best way of crafting the best app like Google maps is by employing the approach of design thinking. This approach brings on intuition, systematic reasoning, imagination, and logic for tossing up chances of outcomes that satiate the end-users.
When it comes to UI, app developers must think of unique concepts. It is advisable to create contrasting elements & tabs that seem quite massive for letting users experience convenience.
Developers must also choose the most applicable fonts, colors, and icons for free map applications. You can even make the icons flashy.
☛ Battery saving
Saving enough battery for reaching the desired location and wearing the battery to stay on the correct route is a dilemma users often face. Does your app like Google maps also somewhat like this? If so, your app amidst so many other functional alternatives might get lost.
Instead, you can develop offline maps that users can download for free & use in a simple manner. In comparison to online maps, the offline ones save data as well as battery.
☛ Fulfilling requisites of the target audience
The users of today’s time always seek intelligent navigation. The ideal map location app is the one that not just alerts them about traffic jams but also alerts them about speed cameras.
Contemporary navigation applications must guide drivers to the car parks as well in proximity to their destinations.
☛ Instructions by voice
Safe driving calls for the inclusion of voice instructions within the navigation apps. These apps can alert users about upcoming turns and also remind them when they actually must turn.
Voice instructions can also function on the main monitor in the background and from the lock screen also. This will ensure that even if users are engaged in some other activity they can get hold of the directions they require.
What is the expenditure for developing apps like Google Maps?
Whether you build a simple Google Map app or high-end apps for mapping, there is a cost involved. The cost of a navigation app depends on factors like project complexity, development company quotes, number of attributes, etc.
☛ Stages
- Quality assurance – 70 to 100 hours
- UX/UI – 160 to 200 hours
- Backend Development – 493 to 524 hours
- Frontend development – 497 to 593 hours
- Total hours that will be required range between 1220 to 1447 hours
- A total of 7 team members can successfully shape a functional app like Google Maps
The entire expenditure will vary from $49,252 to $56,431
Conclusion
In the present era, apps like Google Maps are a very important portion of daily routines. People require it every now and then to reach destinations with the smallest routes, travel seamlessly, etc.
The GPS application market is a very profitable one. One can build Android as well as build iPhone apps easily these days. However, it is true that building location map apps include an intimidating process.
It needs professional expertise & detailed research. Assistance from an experienced team of developers, designers, and managers is a must. If you are interested in building your own navigation app, connect with us today for free quotes and a demo.
