Is $9.99 Per MONTH Too Expensive For The AT&T iPhone Nav System?

Constant monthly fees are just plain annoying and can end up being quite troublesome. Anything with a monthly fee feels expensive to me no matter what. (I really hate the constant change in monthly rates.)

The GPS in my vehicle is functional for as long as I live, and the GPS systems at Costco are just the same.
I use a GPS pretty often, and I learn to map out a 3D map in my mind with the help of those little screens. If I were to buy a GPS for $1000, I'd still be the winner when compared with those with iPhones since I'm always using it in my car, and I have been using the GPS in my Lexus for over 10 years now. ($1000 divided by $10 monthly fee and then divided by 12 months per year is only 8 years and 4 months.)

whoops... forgot to add in 001's proposed $29.99 initial app fee
In that case, I don't have to wait 10 years to get a new car! :P

It really is a "service" not a product. As a result, a monthly fee is probably the way to go. As far as the original question; yes, $9.99 is to expensive to reach the masses. However, I'm sure those fees will come down as the service gets more popular and the customer base grows. Sounds like a catch 22, but that's normally what happens with emerging products and markets. I'm guessing it will settle down to a few dollars a month in a few years.

Verizon has the same thing....$9.99/mo. for navigation on the BlackBerry. I'll take my chances with a paper printout from googlemaps or mapquest.

We used to think VZ Navigator was a great idea and reasonable until we found out that you ALSO GET CHARGED FOR DATA ACCESS unless of course you have the data plan which we do not.

I have a Blackberry Curve so I'm screwed from the start. You can't purchase one without the data plan. Since I'm paying an extra $30/mo to use my phone as a modem, I just pull into a gas station and power up the laptop, plug my phone in, and VOILA!!!.....I can get directions and look at porn in one sitting.

A picture of a NAV screen on your center console does not count UAW

Agree: it's just slowing the transition to using phones as navigation devices. There's no particular reason a navigation service should cost an ongoing service fee, unless the software is being updated with new features, and in that case, updates should be "optional" (like new versions of other software apps). The service model is great for publishers, and eventually all software might be sold like that, but at this point (especially in a deep recession) it's probably not going to take off.

If 2 people sign up for it, I'll be shocked. Subscription for navigation is just plain dumb.

Boycott any subscription GPS service! This makes no sense at all. Because after one year of $9.99 a month (119.88 yearly + tax ) + the original price of the iPhone + data plan monthly you could have a really great Tom Tom or Garmin for your vehicle. AT&T and all other cell service providers must think their customers are complete idiots.

just download google maps to your iphone or blackberry. its free! you dont have to go through their app store to download anything.

Who needs computer generated turn by turn directions when you have a wife that NEVER shuts up? I just hand her the map to give her something useful to talk about rather than the continuous blather about her mom and sisters that is usually coming from her mouth.

Get a Palm-Pre and the Nav for Free!