Navigon, as promised, has updated MobileNavigator [iTunes link] for the iPhone. According to the developer:

"The free update adds a couple of new features and enhancements to the MobileNavigator. NAVIGON's route planning function known from the companies PND line enables users to plan a route with different destinations ahead of time. Taking advantage of the iPhone's own functionalities, a call POI (point of Interest) function allows to directly call the number of a POI such as a restaurant or hotel by simply clicking on the number. It is also possible to save it to the user's contacts. Furthermore, the update provides an optimized volume control when navigating and using the integrated iPod function of the iPhone at the same time. It also allows to decide which POIs should be displayed in the map view."

I have tested the new functions and can verify that they work as advertised, except for the ability to save a POI in my contacts list. I've asked Navigon for the secret. Update: You hold the phone number in the POI list down for a moment, and a menu appears allowing you to save the contact, add to an existing contact, or send a text message to that number.

Navigon has also updated the GUI, and while en-route you can get time of arrival and distance to destination without having to click on the screen. The map also displays your current speed, the posted speed limit (if available in the database) and the distance to your next turn.

While the points of interest database is not as large as the AT&T Navigator app, which is web connected, it is reasonably up-to-date and complete. A shopping center near me which opened last November was there, along with the new roads that were built around it. The database won't be perfectly up-to-date, but frankly, even Google is behind on POI locations near me.

Coming in future updates to MobileNavigator is real-time traffic, and text-to-speech, so street names get announced when approaching a turn. I know those are biggies for many buyers.

The Navigon MobileNavigator is $69.99 until the end of this month, when it goes up to $99.99.

There is also an update coming soon for the excellent iGO Navigator, so it is interesting to see the competition forcing new features and innovations.

I just received a press release from ALK Technologies announcing their CoPilot Live [iTunes link] nav solution for the iPhone. It looks feature complete, and sells for US$34.99. We'll be reviewing it ASAP.

If you are looking for nav for your iPhone, it's a good time to start comparing, and there are more apps and the TomTom solution on the way.

Here are some screen grabs from the latest version:

While many have been waiting for the TomTom hardware/software combo for the iPhone, Navigon has delivered a very appealing app for the iPhone running version 3.0 of the OS.

MobileNavigator [App Store] has a striking on-screen display, with many features lacking in some of the other products that are out there. Unlike the AT&T Navigator and the G-Map apps, MobileNavigator allows you to access your address book for destinations. It works in landscape or portrait mode, and can warn you if you are speeding. It does not have any traffic info, and you can't call any phone numbers that are in the POI (points of interest) data base. A take me home function is done with a single click.

All the maps are loaded on your device (1.29 GB) so going out of range of an AT&T cell site is not a worry. If you get a call, the guidance stops, but resumes automatically when you conclude the call.

Maps can be 3D or 2D, and the 3D maps look great and closely mimic what is on the road in front of you. The voice directions are quite clear, in contrast with the AT&T app, which is garbled and pretty much a waste.

So how is it on the road? Pretty nice. I got a quick GPS lock. If for any reason you lose GPS, in a tunnel for example, you get a red bar across the top of the screen.

You can display POIs along your route, and many of the icons have company logos like Best Buy, most of the gas station logos, even Quiznos.

If you are navigating the next street to turn on is at the bottom of the screen. If you are not navigating, you see the street you are on. At the top of the screen you get the arrival time if you are navigating. Touching that part of the display will give you your speed, and another touch gives you the distance. Many streets alert you to the speed limit, and if you go go over, you can set a warning.

Intersections on highways are handled very well, with nice big road signs and clear directions of where to go. The voice directions come at the opportune times, and do not nag, the way the AT&T app does.

At my location, southern Arizona, the maps were complete and there were far more POIs than provided on the G-Map application.

It looks like our European friends will get first crack at an advanced turn-by-turn navigation app for the iPhone/iPod touch. MobileNavigator Europe [App Store] requires the 3.0 software, and looks to be fully featured:

• 2D and 3D map displays
• Can be used in portrait and landscape format
• Branded UI features such as Reality View Pro, Lane Assistant Pro & "real signpost display"
• Speed Assistant with adjustable audio-visual warning
• Direct access and navigation to contacts saved in the iPhone's address book
• The latest NAVTEQ maps, 2M+ European POIs (points of interest)
  
• Navigation is automatically resumed after an incoming phone call
• Quick access to user-defined POIs in the area and along the route
• Take Me Home function with a single click

This software is the first of several apps coming for the iPhone. The TomTom app that will work in the U.S. has been demoed and coming soon. Garmin, one of the premier GPS manufacturers is going the other way, and will release their own phone with navigation built in, but the project has been troubled and much delayed. Telenav has pre-announced its iPhone offering and suggested that customers keep an eye on the company's Twitter feed.

The Navigon app is US $94.99 (!) this month only, then the price goes up (!!!). The Navigon website doesn't yet show a list of the supported countries, but it's displayed in iTunes and is quite extensive (Albania to Vatican City with Estonia, Macedonia, San Marino & Slovenia + more in between). The app supports ten different languages and will automatically switch based on the selected language for the iPhone itself. The download weighs in at 1.65 GB.

This quick release of high quality navigation software should set mouths watering for a release over here, but I'm a bit troubled by the pricing, as you can buy a pretty fully featured low-end navigator for only a few more dollars.

Update: Our readers have also mentioned Gokivo, with a continuing US$9.95 a month subscription, and Sygic, which provides turn by turn navigation in Austrailia and New Zealand.

Thanks to Gaspare for the original tip and our alert readers for more suggestions!