City Navigator update frequency

 

I've checked the official Garmin forums a bit starting with the rough roll-out of CNNANT 2015.10, as well as the recent Garmin Express and BaseCamp installation/update issues.

https://forums.garmin.com/forum.php

If I'm understanding the discussions, some folks are reporting that some/all City Navigator Europe map updates will switch to twice a year rather than quarterly updates. Am I reading this correctly? I wonder what it means for future City Navigator NA map updates.

Twice annual updates still fall within the "up to four updates per year" that Garmin states when discussing LM devices or numaps lifetime update purchases.

I did find another interesting thing in looking through the forums. As much as we found wrong with the 2015.10 NA map update roll-out and software updates for automotive GPS devices, it looks like the vast majority (90-95%?) of issues being reported and solutions sought on the forums are related to non-automotive devices. surprised Should we automotive users thank our lucky stars because it could have been so much worse?

Garmin

CraigW,
I think your observations in the Garmin forums are generally correct. Apparently City Navigator Europe has two versions, NT and NTU. NTU is the unicode version for support of certain languages and is only supported on some of the newer nuvi's. At this time I think there is no NTU version for City Navigator North America. But it sounds like Garmin has decided to publish NT Europe only 2 times a year, but continue to offer NTU Europe 4 times. This is making for some very unhappy customers across the pond. Hopefully Garmin will not extend this concept to North America.

I think your other observations relate to the fact that Garmin's automotive devices ("On the road" series) and handhelds ("On the trail" series) are in decline because of smart phones. So they are changing their emphasis to the fitness, marine and aviation devices which are still doing well.

Garmin Express is a good example. It appears to me that Garmin Express is targeted primarily to the fitness and sports crowd. The automotive functions and map updates are secondary in Garmin's priorities.

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Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Smart Phones

I like my phone for local, but not for the trips. The screen is too small, and like having my phone for a phone when traveling.

I do like the phone over the nuvi for being able to speak a destination. Would be really nice to have that feature in my nuvi.

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Garmin nuvi 2460LMT (2)

Good observation

But as far as I'm concerned, two updates a year would be sufficient. I'm still able to go from point A to B without a problem and honestly I don't see many changes from one map set to another except for the speed limit added on certain roads/highways.

Two updates per year would also be less frustrating for many of us than four per year mrgreen

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Nüvi 255WT with nüMaps Lifetime North America born on 602117815 / Nüvi 3597LMTHD born on 805972514 / I love Friday’s except when I’m on holidays ~ canuk

I remember

I remember when I got my first Nuvi, a 350, in late 2005 and we complained about only getting an annual update which we had to purchase. Now a lot of us could live with 2 a year even when Garmin offers 4 for no additional cost.laugh out loud

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Nuvi 350, 760, 1695LM, 3790LMT, 2460LMT, 3597LMTHD, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, DriveSmart 61, Garmin Drive 52, Garmin Backup Camera 40 and TomTom XXL540s.

I will they would make up

I will they would make up there mind about it...

new red light cameras by penn station

i think there putting up red light cameras by penn station in NYC.

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mimi

i think brooklyn is getting red light cameras

yes i heard that too.

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mimi

I'm

mimisager wrote:

i think there putting up red light cameras by penn station in NYC.

I'm sorry, and I know your new here, but what does this have to do with the subject being discussed here "City Navigator update frequency"? question

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Nuvi 350, 760, 1695LM, 3790LMT, 2460LMT, 3597LMTHD, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, DriveSmart 61, Garmin Drive 52, Garmin Backup Camera 40 and TomTom XXL540s.

2X / Year Would Work for Me

I have never updated the maps on any of my Garmin devices more often than twice per year. As pointed out earlier in this post, the quarterly changes are relatively insignificant and usually not worth the effort. This is especially true if you own multiple devices. From what I’ve seen, most additions or deletions involve business POI’s which come and go on a regular basis. IMO, twice per year would be sufficient.

Based on the flaming response here at the factory on Garmin’s latest release, CNNANT 2015.10, that will be one I’ll skip.

Flaming Responses?

bdhsfz6 wrote:

I have never updated the maps on any of my Garmin devices more often than twice per year. As pointed out earlier in this post, the quarterly changes are relatively insignificant and usually not worth the effort. This is especially true if you own multiple devices. From what I’ve seen, most additions or deletions involve business POI’s which come and go on a regular basis. IMO, twice per year would be sufficient.

Based on the flaming response here at the factory on Garmin’s latest release, CNNANT 2015.10, that will be one I’ll skip.

The problem with the 2015.10 map release was the install program, not the map itself. The problem has been fixed, or so it seems.

Since an actual listing of all the changes (new streets, speed limits, etc.) is not available, most here want the new map so that if they punch in an address it will be available for routing. A street that has existed for at least 5 years near me has finally appeared in the 2015.10 map. It's been on Google maps for 4 years. I had an appointment last year with a new doctor and I had to use Google to find the office.

If you only drive on main roads and don't live in a "Growing" area, then you don't need every update. But, if you live in an area that seems to be constantly changing (like Hampton Roads) then all map updates are desired.

To each his own.

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Metricman DriveSmart 76 Williamsburg, VA

Growing Areas

metricman wrote:

Since an actual listing of all the changes (new streets, speed limits, etc.) is not available, most here want the new map so that if they punch in an address it will be available for routing. A street that has existed for at least 5 years near me has finally appeared in the 2015.10 map. It's been on Google maps for 4 years. I had an appointment last year with a new doctor and I had to use Google to find the office.

If you only drive on main roads and don't live in a "Growing" area, then you don't need every update. But, if you live in an area that seems to be constantly changing (like Hampton Roads) then all map updates are desired.

I have family in Mississauga, Ontario and for many years there were new streets popping up everywhere as the last open spaces in the west were converted to housing. The Garmin maps were woefully out of date there for quite some time. Now that development in that area has pretty finished due to all the space being gone, the maps have finally caught up. But for a long time, I was always waiting for the latest update to see if the new streets were showing up.

The only other areas that I have run into recently has been I-95 road realignment in New Haven, Connecticut where the GPS had me driving in open space and along the NY-17/I-86 corridor as that road is straightened and improved pending its full conversion from NY-17 to I-86.

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I support the right to keep and arm bears.