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No, we're not pushing the newest fashion drug for hikers.
Android simply is the name of the smartphone operating system that was developed by Google and a group of partner companies as an alternative for MacOS (iPhone), Windows Mobile (Microsoft), Symbian (Nokia) and Blackberry OS.
In this article we're discussing the possibility to use Android smartphones as a practical alternative for the specialised 'outdoor' GPS systems. We think the market is at a turning point and that for 'average' GPS needs, smartphones hold all the necessary cards to be able to replace the more expensive outdoor GPS's.

The last few years smartphones have become 'hot' and there's a fierce competition battle raging between the numerous suppliers of the newest generation of intelligent mobile phone systems (GSM).

Android is relatively new in this market, but the open source concept behind the system quickly stirred the interest of a number of important brand names. As a consequence the amount of applications targeting these systems rose exponentially and every day more new applications are being added. Today Android phones are extremely popular and there's a vast choice of brands and models in any price category. The contrast with the limited, proprietary and expensive offerings of the Android competitors is striking.

But what's the link between Android smartphones and hiking?

First of all there's hardly anyone going out on a hike without taking his mobile. As a general trend, our mobile has become an inseparable part of ourselves, and we take it wherever we go. Increasingly those mobiles are becoming smartphones, and within the smartphone world Android systems are taking a considerable and growing part of the market.

Secondly the hiking world has fully embraced its newest gadget: the GPS system. According to the marketeers GPS's are supposed to help us follow tracks and routes, help us register our hikes, tell us where we are ... they've become our indispensable guiding systems while being on a hike.
Hikers are massively buying 'outdoor' GPS systems, those solid boxes specifically adapted to outdoor recreational sports activities. In previous articles we've extensively reported on the usefulness and the use of these systems.
But we also warned that a new class of competitors was getting ready to challenge the outdoor GPS system: the smartphone !

Smartphone models increasingly have a built-in GPS function. Taking into account the enormous number of smartphone applications flowing into the market daily, it was only a matter of time before the first 'outdoor' GPS programs for smartphones would appear. Today we're even beyond that point. The applications are there, and it's not just a few experimental trials, it's a diverse collection of well-tested and mature GPS applications. There's lots of choice, and every day it keeps getting bigger.

Inevitably the suppliers of the specialised 'outdoor' GPS systems start feeling the pressure of these new competitors.
In a logical move to protect their 'outdoor' market, they're spreading a number of arguments explaining why smartphones are not and will never be a good alternative for their specialised products.
We list some of their arguments and offer you our first comments. Later on we'll get into more practical details. The main message is: don't be fooled, the smartphone GPS works and has become a viable outdoor alternative for the average hiker.

• Smartphones aren't made for 'outdoor' use.

Outdoor GPS systems have been designed for outdoor use and rough conditions. They come in solid boxes, should be rather shock resistant and can take a drop of water. Smartphones are not, they're first of all elegant and flashy, can't take a good shock and hate fluids and wet conditions.
Generally speaking this used to be a valid argument, and for many smartphone models it still is. But nowadays more rugged and solid models (such as the Motorola Defy) come to the market and they can take a lot too, even water. An enthousiastic salesman referred to them as 'mason-proof' models ...
But even if the argument would still be true, we still have to meet the first hiker that doesn't take his mobile or smartphone when going out. And that phone isn't kept in his pocket, it is frequently used along the way, fragile or not. By the way, the outdoor GPS as well is most often kept in a pocket or a protecting cover.
Most of the time the average hiker isn't clinging to vertical rockwalls or wading waist-deep through rivers. The ruggedness of an outdoor GPS system is a nice feature, but if it were that important as an argument, then why do we completely ignore it when it comes to our mobile phones?

• Smartphone GPS is not very precise.

Somebody took the test for us and didn't notice any significant differences between the positioning made by an outdoor GPS system and a smartphone GPS. Anyway, the electronics used in both kind of systems is more or less the same, so the results should be too. During the test the smartphone each time placed on the exact location, 'right on track'. Both systems can show deviations varying from a few meters up to 10 - 20 meters. A lot depends upon the circumstances in the field and the quality of the reception. There's also differences due to the applications and the way they handle the positioning data. And finally there's differences between the outdoor GPS models themselves.
Our conclusion: this seems to be an argument from the past.

• Smartphones don't have a good reception.

When switching on the GPS function on the smartphone we admit it took longer to get an exact positioning, compared to the outdoor GPS system. Once the positioning was there, we kept the GPS application on in the background. From that moment on, re-activiting the function gave us a new position in seconds.
It's probably only a matter of time before the technologies used in both systems will perform equally well. Meanwhile, we don't consider the fact that it takes a little longer to get a first positioning to be a big problem. We see it rather as a luxury problem.
As to loosing GPS reception, we didn't notice differences either. In a tunnel both types of systems will get into trouble. In dense forests and deep and narrow valleys we didn't notice important differences either.
On the other hand, smartphones have the advantage that they are equiped with an aGPS function. AssistedGPS uses the positions of the GSM masts to speed up the positioning process, in addition to the satellites. Outdoor GPS systems don't have this feature since they don't combine the use of a GSM system.
Also important to note is that in emergencies it will be the GSM function that can help in determining the position of a victim, not the outdoor GPS system ...

• Smartphones depend upon an (expensive) internet connection to use their GPS applications.

This argument hasn't been true for quite some time !
Smartphone GPS systems are indeed capable of using an internet connection to process realtime applications such as GoogleMaps. Depending upon the kind of internet subscription available on the phone, the cost of doing this can get quite high, especially when using it abroad.
But in the meantime there's quite a few applications available that can function in an offline mode. Maps can be pre-stored on the phone and used in GPS applications without having to load them in realtime via internet. That's exactly the way outdoor GPS systems function too. Moreover, the GPS function on a smartphone can operate without internet, relying only upon the satellite system (again this is exactly what an outdoor GPS does). If you have a Wifi connection at home, you're perfectly capable of installing and personalising maps and applications without any additional costs. Once you take the road, internet and wifi aren't needed anymore. If you have an internet subscription on the phone, it can be disabled while using the GPS functionality to avoid costs. Also note that wifi connections are increasingly available at no cost in public places, hotels, libraries, taverns, ... So, it's really not true that a smartphone GPS can only function in combination with an expensive internet subscription on the phone. It can completely do without, as we could experience for ourselves.

• Smartphone GPS uses lots of battery capacity limiting the time of use.

It all depends upon the kind of GPS application used on the phone.
If you're driving around using an online GoogleMaps routing program, you'll effectively use a lot of battery ressources in a short timeframe. In a car you'll connect the phone to the electrical circuit, so that problem is solved ... But in the field, hiking or cycling, you don't have that option. The battery will be exhausted after a few hours.
We used an offline application, running in the background, and we were able to last the whole day without any noticeable loss of battery capacity. We used the application from time to time to check our position and to check if we were still on track. At the same time we also registered the track. No battery problems whatsoever.
Another false argument?

It looks like there's no real problems left to use a smartphone with GPS function for our hikes. If you don't intend to use it in extreme conditions like northpole or Amazon river expeditions, or climbing 5000 + mountains, if in other words you're an 'average' outdoor activities fan, the smartphone GPS is a perfect alternative for the specialised outdoor GPS systems. In fact, today buying an expensive outdoor GPS for normal outdoor activities is simply overkill, a waste of money.
No matter what is said, we do take a mobile when going on a hike. If that mobile becomes a smartphone with GPS function, then you kill two birds with one stone. If you're not looking for the newest highend model, a smartphone doesn't have to be more expensive than an outdoor GPS system, but for that money you combine GSM and GPS functionality. And while you're at it, look for an Android model. It's an open system, the applications are available and their number is increasing every day.

Next time we'll get into more detail on how to make good and cheap use of your Android smartphone GPS system.

And meanwhile:

In the smartphone world there's a fierce competition battle raging. Android's successes irritate Apple and Microsoft as its main competitors. Both companies now try to stop Google and it's partners with law suits over alleged patent infringements. Recently Google reacted by taking over Motorola Mobile (and its patents portfolio) to fight back.
The events illustrate how frustrated Google's competitors must feel in front of Android's success. Instead of fighting back with technological progress, better and cheaper products, all they can come up with are legal tricks to avoid the real issues. It's a fascinating world ... if it weren't so sad.