It seems Garmin aims to obtain revenue via map updates etc...
RE:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=114005
"Download the Garmin BlueChart Mobile app for free, then purchase detailed BlueChart maps from within the Garmin store located in Settings."
Note the word "then purchase".
So you get the App @ $0.0 then
purchase detailed maps... at maybe $9.99 each. If they can get the volume up then it may make business sense and provide as much or even more revenue than marketing and selling their $299 SD cards. The mobile App will make sense for many small boats that don't have Chartplotters but someone in the family surely will have an iPhone and/or iPad... there's now the iPad mini starting at $329 (see
http://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/) which has the Assisted GPS and GLONASS (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLONASS) whereas the iPad 2 (introduced 6 months ago) has GPS Assisted. The new iPad with Retina display has the Assisted GPS and GLONASS. The iPad mini and the iPad with Retina display were introduced by Apple today.
As an aside, I note that the high end operating temp for the new iPads is 95ºF and will be non-operational at/over 113ºF. This then could pose a problem for the new iPad users in areas where ambient temps get this high.
On the other hand, the Garmin Chartplotters don't state their operating temps, but they however do have internal cooling fan(s) as evidenced by the purring sound you can hear when things are quiet in the cabin area. This may be an advantage for the Garmin Chartplotter products over the iPad as far as operating temps go.
I suspect the Chartplotter population vs. Non-Chartplotter population is better that 1:100.
😱 :roll: