Skobbler brings free turn-by-turn sat nav to the iPhone

The Skobbler free navigation app is now available for iPhone users in the UK and Ireland.

Using data from the OpenStreetMap Project (OSM), Skobbler provides voice-assisted turn-by-turn directions for drivers and pedestrians, with users having the choice between a top-down two-dimensional map or a bird's eye view.

The app, which is available now on iTunes, works on second-generation iPhones onwards, and being built on free mapping underpinnings, allows users to edit navigation maps and add their own places of interest.

"Skobbler is the first truly usable voice-guided sat nav solution to use free map data that can be edited," says Skobbler founder Marcus Thielking. "All those who have edited the map have experienced a real sense of achievement. Everybody can make sure that their respective neighbourhood has the best map coverage."

Skobbler, which is based in Germany, already has some 250,000 users creating and updating maps outside of the UK, with the company encouraging users to make corrections to ensure "outdated and poorly detailed maps are a thing of the past".

While the user-generated nature of the maps means there is always the risk of error, Thielking believes that the combination of community editing and free dynamic updates will ensure Skobbler is "a genuine alternative to costly and slow updating sat navs".

The ad-supported lite version of Skobbler can be downloaded free of charge from iTunes; alternatively, for 1.19 you can get the same thing but without the adverts.