TomTom Car Kit Availability
Sep
24
2009
If I’m reading this page at the Dutch Apple Store correctly, the TomTom Car Kit will be available in 2-3 weeks at a cost of $149 USD. But what is somewhat more surprising is this little nugget at the end.
Inhoud van de verpakking
- TomTom Car Kit
- TomTom navigatieprogramma voor iPhone
That seems to imply that for the price you get both the Car Kit as well as the TomTom iPhone App itself, although it could just mean that it includes some sort of app that has a sole purpose of connecting to the car kit. I expect we will get the full picture shortly.
According to a European forum, the app IS included with mount purchase, but the mount is NOT compatible with the iPod touch. Guess it won’t be more than another 2-3 weeks or so before we know that for certain.
If correct– that price would make it a pretty good deal.
Oddly, that announcement looks like it’s disappeared. Did they change their minds?
I don’t think (despite other reports) that there was an official release. I think something slipped out early.
I suspect that their intent was NOT to include the app with dock purchase. $50 for the mount seems unreasonably cheap for those who already purchased the app only.
It sure would. Even better for TT IMO if they dropped the price for the app only, even if just by $10.
Looks like things have been confirmed that the (approx $149 USD) price will be for the mount only. Commentary above updated.
While $50 looked unreasonable cheap, the $150 for the mount only is approaching unreasonably expensive IMHO. That price isn’t unexpected as I’d seen rumors to that effect. Quite a high price in any case.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that TomTom said the US price on the mount will be $119.99. Much more reasonable if true.
The car kit is back on apple store shelf.
It is too early to draw too many conclusions. However, what if (and perhaps a big if) the mount was designed so that it only worked with the TomTom app and not any other navigation apps. $150 for the mount + app might not be out of the question. Since many people already own the app– getting $50 for the mount might seem like too good of a deal to not pass up.
TomTom is banking on the success of their app based partly on the totally integrated solution so they want as many people to have the full package as possible. It is the feature that differentiates them the most. So if one were to agree that $150 for the app + mount is sustainable then they could offer the mount for $50 since they have already earned the bulk of the profit through the app itself. That way too they make a bigger margin on people who get the app only. I could be totally wrong– just thinking aloud about some of the possibilities.
The price is now official USD 119.95
Here is the press release
http://investors.tomtom.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=411360