GPS - Meaning of Lifetime Free Maps

[Deactivated] on 17/02/2017 - 17:03
Last edited 17/02/2017 - 17:03

Hi everyone,

I am in the market for a GPS Navigation System and I am having a bit of trouble understanding what lifetime free maps means. I know it means the life of the unit and to me this just sounds like until the device is broken. But I have read that it may mean something else like the age of the model (someone said 4 years? Or when they get superseded?), but I am not sure.

So I am wondering if anyone can help me with these questions:
What does Lifetime Free Maps mean? Until the device breaks? When the model is no longer relevant?
If the latter is true, how do I find out how many years the particular model I may want to purchase has?

Thank you!

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • psyren89 on 17/02/2017 - 17:23
    +4

    Lifetime of the device, as determined by the manufacturer. Basically, until they decide to stop updating it.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/02/2017 - 17:30

      Do they post this anywhere or anything (I am thinking of getting a TomTom)? Or is it only when you go to update it and you find out that, oh I don't get free maps anymore?

      • PVA on 17/02/2017 - 18:15
        +1

        Yes they do. It's on tom toms site and they link to this https://uk.support.tomtom.com/app/content/id/9/locale/en_gb
        Basically lifetime means the life they support the unit.

        Lifetime is the useful life of the device, which means the period of time that TomTom continues to support your device with software updates, services, content or accessories. A device will have reached the end of its life when none of these are available any more.

        • [Deactivated] on 17/02/2017 - 18:35

          I was more thinking about specific dates or specific amount of years. But it really does sound like, "we will stop it whenever we feel like."

        • Diji1 on 17/02/2017 - 22:38
          +1

          @WhatDaHeck: >"we will stop it whenever we feel like."

          That's what it is.

  • mskeggs on 17/02/2017 - 17:38
    +3

    The manufacturer can decide whatever they want, but I think you would have a very strong case under consumer law to continue to get free maps while the device continued to function.
    To actually get the free maps you may have to complain and follow up with Fair Trading etc.

  • pantsparty on 17/02/2017 - 17:39
    +1

    Why not use your smart phone with google maps instead? Free updates for life and no need to buy another device.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/02/2017 - 18:31
      +1

      I originally posted this because when using google maps on my current phone it gets really hot and it randomly shuts off. And most likely unrelated, but the previous phone one day just suddenly died, so I was kinda put off using map apps with phones. That being said I just started testing google maps + offline maps on an old spare phone with no sim card and it works fine, so I think I am just going to use this now.

    • Make it so on 17/02/2017 - 19:21
      +1

      Google Maps with navigation has come a long way. Visually much better than a GPS device. But my phone gets superhot (GPS + screen + 4G + bluetooth all at the same time), throws errors, and the data is not 100% accurate. As someone in the field, I can tell you that data is massively important. Not just visually, but topologically. Sometimes I use Google Maps if I can't be bothered booting up my TomTom (with its horribly slow error-prone touch screen), but the other day it directed me off the highway and straight back onto it again; typical example of an error in the data, with two road links not connecting up. Such a thing wouldn't happen with a dedicated navigation device, because those companies spend huge quantities of money on data QA.

      • lethological on 17/02/2017 - 22:44
        +1

        Have you tried the nokia app: Here (think its most recent renaming is here we go maps) its free and you can download the maps. I find it much better than google maps and exceeds my dad's tom tom on giving directions, speed limits, routing. just a tad slow at rerouting if you choose to keep it in offline mode.

    • canyoudoitcheaper on 17/02/2017 - 22:22

      Because if you're driving in an area with no cell coverage, then you can't use your phone as a GPS.

      • [Deactivated] on 17/02/2017 - 22:52

        That's actually what I'm doing now. I'm using my old phone without mobile data or wifi (only wifi at home) and it still knows where I am and can reroute me. I thought it wouldn't work properly, but it does, I'm not exactly sure how though.

    • Diji1 on 17/02/2017 - 22:40
      -1

      Because I don't want the webs largest advertising business knowing where I go in real life.

  • Davo1111 on 17/02/2017 - 17:59
    +1

    Just ignore lifetime free maps, it's a buzzword, really should be illegal.

    • Make it so on 17/02/2017 - 19:14

      Uhm no?
      If you spend $100 on a GPS device, you don't want to have to spend $60 to update the maps after a few years. I have had to dump my old TomTom because it was almost as much to buy a new one (with free lifetime maps) as it was to buy new maps for the old device.

      A GPS with outdated data is fairly useless. You NEED current maps. Not having to pay for them is rather useful.

      • Diji1 on 17/02/2017 - 22:41
        +1

        It's useful to not pay money after you paid for it?

      • Davo1111 on 19/02/2017 - 22:49

        ummm if "lifetime maps" is like 3 years, whats the point?

        • Make it so on 20/02/2017 - 01:45

          My TomTom still gets maps. I guess it depends… Each case is different.

  • [Deactivated] on 17/02/2017 - 19:21
    +1

    On a side note there are plenty of ways to side load maps into tomtom / navman / iGo devices

  • coco1458 on 17/02/2017 - 20:02
    +2

    Got a Garmin GPS back in 2011, still getting free lifetime maps, I'd say it's probably until the device dies, well at least for Garmin GPS

  • [Deactivated] on 17/02/2017 - 20:29
    +1

    I have a tom Tom from circa 2006ish and only last year did I get a message from them saying the file size for new maps exceeds the internal memory. Mine is a 1gb model, I think the minimum they sell now are 16gb? so you should be right for at least 5 years.

    • bjdchwr on 17/02/2017 - 22:17
      +1

      Also some of the latest TomTom can accept microSD.

  • Charity on 18/02/2017 - 08:59
    -1

    It is an intentionally deceptive marketing phrase that deserves to result in a class action lawsuit.

    "Lifetime" should mean the life of the company.

    Not until the next model.
    Not X number of years.
    Not when "most customers" stop using it.
    Not some other ambiguous or perverse meaning.

    If the GPS company (Tom Tom, Garmin, etc) choose to use this phrase they must be prepared to update 10 and 20 year old, and older, products with reasonable (annual) updates. That is what lifetime means. If that is too demanding, they should cease to use the word. Hiring a slick, slimy, short-term thinking marketer does not change the dictionary meaning. There are companies out there that do offer genuine lifetime warranties,(Zippo Lighters comes to mind), and it is unfair to those companies that are honest.

  • StingyBritches on 18/02/2017 - 10:30
    +1

    http://www.garmin.com/en-US/legal/lmdisclaimer

    Lifetime Maps Terms & Conditions

    If you purchase a nüMaps Lifetime subscription (sold separately) or if your Garmin product comes bundled with a nüMaps Lifetime or other lifetime map subscription, you will receive map data updates when and as such updates are made available on Garmin.com during the useful life of 1 compatible Garmin product or as long as Garmin receives map data from a third party supplier, whichever is shorter. A product’s “useful life” means the period during which the product (a) has sufficient memory capacity and other required technical capabilities to utilize current map data and (b) is capable of operating as intended without major repairs. A product will be deemed to be out of service and its useful life to be ended if no updates have been downloaded for such product for a period of 24 months or more.

  • werdnanostaw on 18/02/2017 - 10:51
    +2

    A friend of mine bought a new car about 20 years ago. She had film installed on the windows that came with a lifetime guarantee.

    Just before she sold it recently, because the film had bubbled in some places, she took it back to the company and they replaced all of the film.

    Some lifetime guarantees work. I had a Navman PND (Personal Navigation Device) that came with lifetime maps that were only updated for a few years.

    I would get a Garmin PND because it is very easy to install on an SD card OSM (Open Street Maps) maps (that are continually updated) for anywhere in the world obtained from:

    http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

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