Using a mobile travel application offline with no roaming fees

The iPhone has opened the door to a world of opportunity for consumers’ personal lives. More and more developers are jumping on board daily to create useful apps for travellers.

Despite all of this, there are several features and details which consumers need to be wary of. For instance, a consumer finance site has highlighted that many budget travel apps have an enormous flaw.

In its analysis, WalletPop has emphasised on expenditure pertaining to international data usage.

“To the shame of many short-sighted iPhone app developers, many budget travel apps have an enormous flaw. This fatal issue could turn a 99-cent app intended to save you cash into a nightmarish drain on your cell phone bill. The problem: Many travel apps require a data connection to work,” highlighted an article from the site.

One needs to be wary of the cases where apps don’t tell users how much data they are using as they use it. No matter whether you use an iPhone, a BlackBerry, or whatever, the amount you spend in data could far surpass the amount you thought you were going to save by using the app.

“Bless them, but computer developers are not known, as a group, to be intrepid travellers. They are known for embracing new technologies, though, and that characteristic isn't always compatible with thinking like a traveler does, and travelers know that data usage means money,” says the same WalletPop report. “Before buying an app, comb the product description for the phrase "no Internet connection required," "off-line," "locally stored" or something similar. Many data-reliant applications will gloss over this programming failure by simply neglecting to mention it, and if that happens, comb the user reviews for a customer who will deliver the truth about how it works.”

There are workarounds. You could activate a Wi-Fi network, but in most places outside of America, free Wi-Fi signals are hard to find. They're also site-specific, which defeats the purpose of being able to roam anywhere you want and have information at your fingertips, says the report. It further goes on to add that probably the worst offender among travel app genres is language learning. Almost all of them require an expensive data connection to function and many of them just dump you into an inefficient, web-based translator.

Challenges

For long, the industry has indicated that that there are still two issues that need to change: There need to be more standards over the whole industry so that development is easier and faster, and the network providers need to reduce the data rates especially for roaming but also the flat rates in their home markets as the customers are afraid of unknown cost for the usage of mobile services.

“The first challenge - standards - and keeping to the standards have become even worse compared to last year. For example, Samsung has added a new operating System "Bada" to the already diversed market. Android is used in many different ways which makes it even more complex all the time. The market seems to be futher away from standards than ever. This is still the biggest challenge for the mobile development, especially in combination with the demand for Apps,” Andrea Keipert, product manager - Mobile Services, Lufthansa told EyeforTravel’s Ritesh Gupta.

“The second challenge - the costs of flat rates and roaming are improving. Not only in Germany but in many other markets the competition has lowered the prices so that many people do not need to fear the use of mobile Internet or data transfer anymore.”

New offerings

In June this year, interactive travel guides publisher mTrip launched travel guides for iPhone and iPod Touch.

According to mTrip, its offering has several unique features and one of them is about locating the traveller on the map automatically and displaying the most optimal route by subway or foot to any point of interest. The company says user can also view any point of interest in the area. This is all done offline with no roaming fees.

Plus, there is an augmented reality feature, too. The traveller can look through the iPhone 4 or 3GS to display the city and all the tourist attractions in the area at a heightened, surreal view. No Internet connection is required, says the company, a specialist in interactive travel guides for smart phones and portable devices, such as the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. The traveller can also send postcards via Facebook and email to be sent to friends and family. Unlimited sharing is free and no roaming is required, says mTrip.

Assessing such developments, Marko Balabanovic, head - Innovation, lastminute.com, says, “We think that smart phones are going to be indispensable for travellers, especially once the high cost of data roaming comes down.”

He added, “They’re also a great tool for immersing yourself in your destination, with streetview photography, satellite and aerial imagery, 360 views, audio and video clips, and newer combinations like Microsoft’s Photosynth.”

“The challenge we think is interesting, beyond basic navigation and fact-finding, is discovering what is good to do around you, right now - where’s best to go, what would a local recommend around here, is it still possible to get tickets or a booking for tonight. Our topsee app for instance has a visual photographic interface to the top things nearby, from local bloggers and writers.”

Online Marketing and Social Media Strategies for Travel Summit Europe 2010

Andrea Keipert, product manager - Mobile Services, Lufthansa, and Marko Balabanovic, head - Innovation, lastminute.com, are scheduled to speak at the forthcoming two-day Online Marketing and Social Media Strategies for Travel Summit Europe 2010 (5-6, October) to be held in Prague.

For more information, click here

Or contact:

Gina Baillie

VP Global Marketing & Events

EyeforTravel

London, UK: +44 (0)207 375 7197

gina@eyefortravel.com