TeleNav

Telenav, Inc. is a wireless location-based services corporation that provides services including Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite navigation, local search, automotive navigation solutions, mobile advertising, enterprise mobility and workflow automation. The company’s headquarters are located in Santa Clara, California in the United States with additional offices in the U.S., Germany, Japan, Romania, China, and Brazil.

Telenav

Type	Private company (1999-2010, since 2021) Public company Nasdaq: TNAV (2010-2021)
Industry	Location-based service
Founded	1999 by H.P. Jin, Sal Dhanani, Y.C. Chao and Bob Rennard
Headquarters	Santa Clara, California
Number of employees	583
Website	www.telenav.com

History

Founding

Telenav, founded as “Televigation” was first established in 1999 by HP Jin, YC Chao, Sal Dhanani and Robert Rennard to provide GPS-based navigation software on mobile devices.^[1]

1999-2004

In December 2000, Telenav launched myPNA (My Personal Navigation Assistant) WAP service to Sprint. The product allowed users to retrieve directions between two addresses and search for local points-of-interest (POIs).^[2]

In 2002, Telenav developed a real-time mobile navigation product for Nextel/Motorola Java phones using a tethered GPS receiver developed by GlobalSat. The following year, Navigator was created for the BlackBerry 7520, RIM’s first GPS-enabled device.

2005-2009

Sprint Navigation was introduced in 2005. Catering to Sprint devices, Telenav created a line of mobile-based applications with 3D navigation capability available for wireless subscribers using particular Sprint devices.^[3]

Telenav Track, a product designed to help companies track their mobile resources including employees, vehicles and assets was launched in 2006.^[4]

In 2009, Telenav announced their first Android app^[5] available in Google Play and BlackBerry App world.^[6]

Also, in June 2009, Telenav unveiled its first app for iOS, AT&T Navigator,^[7] made available on the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.

In March 2011, Telenav announced a stand-alone application, Telenav GPS Navigation, available for all iOS users.^[8]

2010-present

Telenav completed its initial public offering[10] (IPO) in May 2010 and began trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol TNAV.[11] With the completion of its IPO, Telenav became the first mobile LBS company to enter into public trading.

In 2010, Ford announced it had also selected Telenav to provide GPS navigation software in its new MyFord Touch driver connect technology.^[9] During the summer, Telenav announced a partnership with U.S. Cellular Corporation[12] (U.S.C.C.) to bring mobile GPS navigation service to wireless subscribers.

In September 2011, Telenav acquired the Boston-based company, Goby Inc., a local and travel search company.

At CES 2012, Telenav announced new iPhone app, Scout, a GPS and discovery app with integration with the web and automotive. Also at CES, Ford announced Scout as the navigation service for some vehicles.^[10][11]

Most recently, Telenav announced Scout for Apps, in March – a service for mobile web and app developers to include turn-by-turn, voice-guided GPS navigation within their mobile app or website via HTML5.

In January 2014 Telenav acquired Skobbler, a producer of navigation software for Android and iPhone based on OpenStreetMap for $23.8 Million.^[12]

In February 2021 the company was taken private and its shares de-listed from NASDAQ.^[13]

Products

Scout

Announced in January, 2012,^[14] Scout was launched for iPhones. The free mobile app features mapping and navigation support, and allows users to access real-time commute times, current location, search and weather.

Scout.me

Also announced in January 2012,^[15] It is an online searching tool for food, drink and social activities around a user's location.

Thinknear

In 2012 Telenav announced it was paying $22.5 million to acquire ThinkNear, a hyperlocal mobile ad startup that helps target consumers with very precise and contextual location-based ads. In August 2019, Telenav sold Thinknear to inMarket.

Scout for Apps

Scout for Apps is a HTML5, browser-based, voice-guided turn-by-turn GPS navigation service for mobile phones.^[16] The free service for mobile web and app developer, offers the ability to include turn-by-turn, voice-guided GPS navigation within their mobile app or website. Developers can integrate the service by adding one line of code.

Telenav GPS Navigator

Telenav GPS Navigator^[17] is a mobile GPS navigation application.

Telenav Shotgun

Released in 2008, Telenav Shotgun^[18] is an Internet-connected personal navigation device. In addition to 3D turn-by-turn navigation and voice assistance, Shotgun features include real-time traffic, mileage tracking, local search of POIs, and automatic re-routing.

OnMyWay

OnMyWay^[19] is an application to help drivers provide updates on their arrival time to a destination. It is available on BlackBerry^[20] iPhone & Android devices.^[21]

Telenav Track

TeleNav Track^[22] is an enterprise mobility software that is designed to help organizations manage their mobile workforce and assets.

TeleNav Asset Tracker

TeleNav Asset Tracker^[23] is a product which is designed to let users to monitor the real-time location of assets, such as packages, cargo or equipment, using a secure, web-based portal.

TeleNav Vehicle Tracker

TeleNav Vehicle Tracker^[24] is designed to help companies track their fleet vehicles in real-time using a web-based portal.

Sipity

Is^[25] a networking application designed to make finding and connecting with relevant people at events easier. Currently available on the iPhone, users can seek other potential contacts at tradeshows or other industry events with similar positions or interests

Jungle!

Designed for university students, Jungle!^[26] is a mobile marketplace application which allows users to buy, sell, and find items, services, and housing within their surrounding areas from their iPhone or iPod Touch.

MyTies

In November 2010, TeleNav launched its mobile application named MyTies.^[27] MyTies is a mobile-based social network.

References

1. VentureBeatProfiles.com "TeleNav Company Profile"
2. TheFreeLibrary.com "TELENAV GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEMS FEATURE SPEECH INTERFACE."
3. Berry Review. "New TeleNav And US Cellular Partnership"
4. Softpedia "Telenav announces GPS Navigator"
5. Telenav Android app "Telenav announces Android App"
6. Telenav, BlackBerry app "Telenav announces BlackBerry App"
7. Telenav, AT&T partnership "Telenav, AT&T announce AT&T Navigator"
8. Telenav, iPhone App "Telenav launches iPhone app"
9. Telenav GPS Navigator "Telenav launches GPS Navigator"
10. Scout announcement
11. Ford, Scout partnership "Ford, Scout partnership"
12. "In Open Navigation Tie-Up, Telenav Acquires Skobbler for $23.8 Million"
13. "V99 Completes Acquisition of Telenav" (Press release). Telenav, Inc. Business Wire. February 17, 2021.
14. Scout "Telenav announces Scout"
15. Scout announcement "Telenav announces Scout"
16. Scout for Apps announcement "Scout for Apps announcement"
17. Telenav GPS Navigator "TeleNav GPS Navigator Homepage"
18. TeleNav.com/Shotgun "TeleNav Shotgun Homepage"
19. PhoneArena.com "TeleNav's OnMyWay service now live on Verizon, Sprint, & T-Mobile BlackBerry handsets"
20. TeleNav Blog "Introducing OnMyWay: Let Your Friends Know You’re On The Way!"
21. ZDNet.com "Send your ETA with TeleNav OnMyWay from your Android or iOS device"
22. TeleNavTrack.com "TeleNav Track Homepage"
23. Commercial Carrier Journal. "AT&T Releases AT&T Asset Tracker"
24. TeleNav Blog. "AT&T and TeleNav Launch TeleNav Vehicle Tracker"
25. Sipity Homepage. "Sipity.com"
26. TeleNav Press Release. "TeleNav Launches Free Location Based Classifieds iPhone App for College Students"
27. MyTies Homepage. "MyTies.com"

Further reading

• "Toyota Turns to Telenav for Navigation in Vehicles". Bloomberg.com. 31 July 2015.
• "Telenav Copies Foursquare's Swarm With New Social App, HopOver". TechCrunch. AOL. 22 September 2014.
• "Scout by Telenav (for iPhone)". PCMAG.
• "Scout by Telenav (for Android)". PCMAG.
• "Telenav Buys Skobbler For $24M To Power An OpenStreetMap Challenge To Google Maps". TechCrunch. AOL. 30 January 2014.
• Wayne Cunningham (7 July 2014). "Scout by Telenav review - CNET". CNET. CBS Interactive.
• David Meyer. "Telenav outs Scout app, not to be confused with its other Scout app".
• "TeleNav GPS Plus (for iPhone)". PCMAG.
• "Hands On With TeleNav Scout in a 2012 Ford Edge". PCMAG.
• Joel Evans. "Telenav's Scout is my preferred iOS Maps Alternative". ZDNet.
• "TeleNav Introduces Its First GPS Navigation Device". PCWorld. 9 November 2008.
• "Proceedings of the Second International Airborne Remote Sensing Conference". 1996.
• Chadwick, Andrew; Howard, Philip N. (2010). Routledge Handbook of Internet Politics. ISBN 9780415780582.

External links

• Scout
• Thinknear