Navionics Ipad rip off ?

[paulburn]

Couple of questions ...

1) Why is the UK navionics app more expensive than the US/Canada one ? if based on file size, I assume the UK one would be about 100x cheaper.

2) Why do I have to pay for the App twice to get the latest version (my current version is HD, purchased 2010) ? My version is buggy, crashes repeatedly and not fit for purpose.

I accept that the charts may have been upgraded (as well as the software stability) but the ethos with Apple apps is that you get mapping updates for free (eg tom tom etc).

Paul

 

[Dave_Seager]

There is a different business model for USA and UK charts. In the USA they work on the premise that the people have paid for the survey and are entitled to see the results without paying again. In the UK, the Admiralty Hydrographic Office raises money from the sales of its charts to contribute to the cost of the survey.

This means that companies such as Navionics must pay to use UK charts but can get USA charts cheaper or free. These costs are passed on to the end user.

I think that is is unfair to call this a rip-off by Navionics. Their charts are amazingly cheap when compared with the paper versions.

 

[paulburn]

Thankyou, very interesting.

If I understand you correctly, you are saying that in the US (and by inference other countries in the world, as all the others Navionics charts are cheaper per mile coastline) hydrographic surveying is funded by the tax payer whereas in the UK it is funded by the customer, and therefore the customer pays a higher price ?

paul



thankyou paul

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Thankyou, very interesting.

If I understand you correctly, you are saying that in the US (and by inference other countries in the world, as all the others Navionics charts are cheaper per mile coastline) hydrographic surveying is funded by the tax payer whereas in the UK it is funded by the customer, and therefore the customer pays a higher price ?

paul



thankyou paul

It is ONLY the USA that has this model. However, a lot of international charting is done by the USA, so you will find US charts of a lot of the rest of the world that benefit from the same costing model. You won't find any (or at least, much) in Europe, though.

 

[steverow]

Basically, the Admiralty has to use this model, given that about half the worlds waters would never get charted if they didnt charge for their data. Admiralty data is not expensive, and it is the companies like C-map etc that charge huge profit margins for leisure charts and give a very misleading impression of how much admiralty data actually costs.
The cost of survey vessels is alarming and it has to be paid for somehow. The Admiralty's model is to place that leverage on to commercial shipping, through it's AVCS/ARCS services and to assist smaller countries and others through it's IEC-ENC grouping. They are currently engaged in a complete re-survey of much of the Phillipines for instance.
The Navionics charts are not expensive at all, and may give you some idea of the wholesale data price from the Admiralty, given that they are also making a profit on their UK/Holland product and that Dutch data is twice the price of UK data.

So the Navionics charts are actually terrific value for money at an amazing price really.
You should also realise that to get them at this price they are supplied on a "Not for Navigation" licence, which is why you dont see your position on the chart screen.

Steve

 

[oldvarnish]

So the Navionics charts are actually terrific value for money at an amazing price really.


You should also realise that to get them at this price they are supplied on a "Not for Navigation" licence, which is why you dont see your position on the chart screen.

Steve

I entirely agree. I am currently using the WHOLE of S America (with the entire Caribbean thrown in) for about 30 quid. Bargain! if it was 300 quid it would still be a massive saving.

On my iPad I am able to see my position on the chart screen, by the way.

 

[Dave_Seager]

On my iPad I am able to see my position on the chart screen, by the way.

And on my Android.

 

[paulburn]

I think we are coming from slightly different places.

you are comparing Navionics App with C maps etc and finding them really cheap.

Im comparing with other Apps and with Navionics own Apps of other regions and finding th UK relatively expensive.

I think the business model of Apps is quite different to traditional sales. Low overheads, high volume sales- they should be cheaper.

ps- you CAN see your position on the chart- i dont think anyone would buy them otherwise. whatever caveats Navionics places, I'm sure everyone uses the
for navigation, I certainly do!

paul (currently on SCillonian en route to Scillies, following track on Navionics!)