zmk1962 Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Hey Raiders, Since I have been somewhat advocating Navionics Au&NZ (iPhone, iPad, Android) in different topics, I just want to bring to your attention that I recently discovered Navionics are implementing a significant price rise for the subscription. Boating Au&NZ had a $13.99 subscription fee ... (I used the non HD version, which worked fine on iPhones and iPads in my case). However this is going up to $34.99 !!!! 😳 Yup a 250% increase. I found this by accident as the last time I went into the Navionics Au&NZ App I got a message that this app would no longer receive upgrades - and that I should download Boating Marine&Lakes (your chart and data have been transferred). So I downloaded it. My waypoints were all transferred but when I checked Boating Marine&Lakes subscription its now priced at $34.99 😡 I wrote to Navionics ... asking if this was a teething error as part of transitioning licence entitlements as I did not use the HD version. Yesterday I received a one page reply about HOW GREAT THE UPGRADE WAS .... we now all get HD (I don't need it), we can all use it across all devices (I could before), how much better its going to be supporting only one product ( I only ever used one) .... I explained how surprisingly none of the benefits applied to me - they all benefited Navionics greatly - especially the 250% increase ! ...and how it's disappointing that Navionics feel they have such a dominant position and a captive market that they can blatantly gouge as they are doing here. I don't expect any further response. It's a good product but its left a really bad taste in my mouth.... going to keep my eyes open. Anyway, just thought I'd let everyone know. Cheers Zoran 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonD Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I looked into c-map alternatives and was informed c-map recently bought navionics, looks like they plan big profits over customers needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishop Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Yep I noticed that as well and read on fb forums of the price hike. I too messaged them and their reply was that feedback they had received was that all their many products were too confusing for users so it's been all consolidated into one package. Unfortunately us mobile users will see a price hike but other subscription users will see a reduction in their costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishop Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I believe you can keep your marks and just choose not to upgrade. You just won't see any new features. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raging Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 9 minutes ago, Fishop said: I believe you can keep your marks and just choose not to upgrade. You just won't see any new features. That hasn’t been my experience in the past. Last time my subscription ran out the maps downgraded significantly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishop Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 2 minutes ago, raging said: That hasn’t been my experience in the past. Last time my subscription ran out the maps downgraded significantly. Someone told me that I've yet to test it out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishop Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 How does navionics work on a chart plotter? Do people really pay $369 a year? My boat came with it installed. The maps are from 2012 but still accurate and keeps the waypoints 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonD Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 1 minute ago, Fishop said: How does navionics work on a chart plotter? Do people really pay $369 a year? My boat came with it installed. The maps are from 2012 but still accurate and keeps the waypoints Even more $$$ for the platinum version, but this is a one off purchase on a memory card to suit the plotter. You normally get 12 months free updates but in all honesty I've never updated mine even in this period. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 35 minutes ago, JonD said: I looked into c-map alternatives and was informed c-map recently bought navionics, looks like they plan big profits over customers needs. Pretty sure I read that Garmin bought Navionics.... may be wrong though. But it would explain why in the reply from Navionics they focused on the value of the Garmin user integration... blah bah blah 36 minutes ago, Fishop said: I believe you can keep your marks and just choose not to upgrade. You just won't see any new features. If you don't pay (subscribe) to the regional maps then its just very very dumb basic cartography. You also don't get the very detailed sonarcharts or the continuous updates etc. 17 minutes ago, JonD said: Even more $$$ for the platinum version, but this is a one off purchase on a memory card to suit the plotter. You normally get 12 months free updates but in all honesty I've never updated mine even in this period. Yup... I purchased Navionics GOLD+ charts years ago for my combo Eagle Seacharter unit (now LEI) ~$300 10yr ago . Never updated the charts. The charts still run fine and GPS still works... its just lacks heaps of sonar detail (contour lines) for the reefs, headlands, estuaries and such which is valuable for fishing. Its now my fallback GPS onboard and I dedicate it as a dual freq sounder. Cheers Zoran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigma Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 25 minutes ago, JonD said: Even more $$$ for the platinum version, but this is a one off purchase on a memory card to suit the plotter. You normally get 12 months free updates but in all honesty I've never updated mine even in this period. 25 minutes ago, JonD said: Even more $$$ for the platinum version, but this is a one off purchase on a memory card to suit the plotter. You normally get 12 months free updates but in all honesty I've never updated mine even in this period. From memory, when I bought my platinum card and the free subscription ran out, I think the new subscription was $99 which I thought was steep as the damn card cost me over $400 to start off with. People can correct me if I'm wrong, but what is worth $99 on there that you should be subscribing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigma Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 5 minutes ago, zmk1962 said: If you don't pay (subscribe) to the regional maps then its just very very dumb basic cartography. You also don't get the very detailed sonarcharts or the continuous updates etc. Yup... I purchased Navionics GOLD+ charts years ago for my combo Eagle Seacharter unit (now LEI) ~$300 10yr ago . Never updated the charts. The charts still run fine and GPS still works... its just lacks heaps of sonar detail (contour lines) for the reefs, headlands, estuaries and such which is valuable for fishing. Its now my fallback GPS onboard and I dedicate it as a dual freq sounder. Cheers Zoran Lol....there you go, Zoran just told me why. 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 I think the above posts are discussing two different things when we use the term "Subscription" : 1) Navionics sells Charts (Gold, Platinum etc) that you insert into your GPS. As I understand it these charts are yours to use for the life of the memory card and will work with the data they have on them. You can pay to upgrade these charts (get the latest version of the charts), and in some cases you can also subscribe - for some additional online services (updates, waypoint storage etc). If you don't subscribe, you keep running with the maps that you have previously paid for or upgraded to. 2) Navionics also sells Apps that run on mobile devices. In the past (2012) these apps were sold One TIme Charge for a region (Au&NZ) ... and you could pretty well run with that as if it was a chart system like above. Sometimes they provided free updates, and fee Upgrades to the app/maps. Then about 3 years ago, they shifted to a Subscription model. You get the App (free) but you rent the regional map by Subscribing for a year. During that year you get all the chart updates enhancements etc. If you don't Subscribe to a region - the App provides very very dumb basic cartography until you subscribe. Cheers Z 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savit Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I guess the new Navionics Subscription comes with integrated Garmin data - that would partially explain the increase in price. https://www.navionics.com/usa/blog/post/new-garmin-cartography-featuring-navionics-data-announced/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 2 minutes ago, savit said: I guess the new Navionics Subscription comes with integrated Garmin data - that would partially explain the increase in price. https://www.navionics.com/usa/blog/post/new-garmin-cartography-featuring-navionics-data-announced/ Thanks for researching @savit, just had a look at that site: Garmin announced a new line of cartography products featuring the best of Navionics and Garmin content at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The new products include BlueChart g3 / BlueChart g3 Vision cartography for Europe and North America, and new LakeVü g3 / LakeVü g3 Ultra lake maps for the U.S. and Canada. They will be available for purchase on accessory cards and via download for existing customers. In the U.S. and Canada, the new charts will also be preloaded on the new Garmin GPSMAP 8600/8600 xsv series multifunction displays. I guess its great for the Europe, US and Canada guys .... not a lot of mention of Asia Pacific or Oceania in there at all. I guess I just have to figure out how to get my old Haines across the big blue pond so I can get value from these enhancements and the annual $34.99 going forward! Cheers Z 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) Well....that sucks. At least if we were getting new and enhanced data you could justify (partially) the increase but seems that were paying extra at the expense of the yanks and euros Edited January 7, 2019 by GoingFishing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishop Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 I just upgraded. A bit more detail in my local area with depths and things. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Thanks @Fishop sometimes a bit of extra detail showed up from the Sonarchart updates.... but that was part of the original product... I still have not seen anything that comes close to justifying the 250% price hike. Cheers Zoran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Ranger Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Garmin may be the reason the price is going up for Navionics but I got to say I'm liking Garmin at the moment. I believe some of the cost is the additional data Navionics will get from Garmin. or at least that's what a salesman told me lol I have a Garmin 75SV. Garmin's charts of Port Hacking look pretty good when compared to my Navionics on my tablet. Garmin has a free (as of now anyway) way to share actual soundings to others to keep the maps very up to date. So if I use my sounder over a particular area in the bay I can upload the bottom readings to keep the maps very current. Kinda like free updates Bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raging Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Interesting. What contour intervals are you getting on your Garmin? Are you using g2 maps or the ones that are built in? Does your navionics have an active subscription? I’ve found the opposite true, navionics on phone with a subscription is better then the Garmin built in charts. I’ve read lots of complaints around the Garmin charts I.e doesn’t cover Lake Macquarie. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Ranger Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 8 hours ago, raging said: Interesting. What contour intervals are you getting on your Garmin? Are you using g2 maps or the ones that are built in? Does your navionics have an active subscription? I’ve found the opposite true, navionics on phone with a subscription is better then the Garmin built in charts. I’ve read lots of complaints around the Garmin charts I.e doesn’t cover Lake Macquarie. I’m using the built in maps on my Garmin. My Navionics does not have an active subscription. I haven’t used it (Navionics)for a few months since getting my new chart plotter. I had heard the same about details so initially took my tablet along to compare and I could not see any different details in Port Hacking between the two. QuickDraw on the Garmin uses one foot contours. I don’t want to derail this thread so I’ll start another on my plotter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raging Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) 41 minutes ago, Sea Ranger said: My Navionics does not have an active subscription That explains it. Navionics on phone has better maps then my Garmin. That said, with the price increase I may just put up with the Garmin and not renew Edited January 7, 2019 by raging Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Sea Ranger said: So if I use my sounder over a particular area in the bay I can upload the bottom readings to keep the maps very current. Kinda like free updates That's exactly what Navionics has. They call it SonarCharts .... heres a screenshot of how you find it. You can connect a sounder and continuously improve your charts. If you also enable community edits, your sonar readings are uploaded to Navionics and combined/verified with other peoples readings to produce the next base charts - a process of continuous refinement. So again Navionics had this already... nothing new to justify the upgrade. Cheers Zoran Edited January 7, 2019 by zmk1962 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Further to my above post here are two screenshots showing the area just of Barrenjoey. Navionics base charts: And with the Sonarchart active: It’s chalk and cheese really and you can keep zooming in to get more detail. But it was all there before Garmin bought Navionics. I’m pretty sure you have to Subscribe to get Sonacharts. Perhaps Bear can look at his tablet and try to activate Sonarcharts without a subscription. Cheers Zoran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welster Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Damn, I get the message but have ignored it so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raging Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 46 minutes ago, zmk1962 said: nothing new to justify the upgrade. My guess it’s just Garmin trying to get more coin out of the navionics acquisition. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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