Android Mapping Program Route 66 Hits 1 Million Users

The Android platform provides a lot of options for mapping and GPS, including the native Google Maps.  While Google Maps works perfectly well, some of you may want to branch out and try some alternatives and you will have no shortage of options like Waze, Garmin and more.  However, one of the most popular solutions has actually flown largely under the radar – Route 66 today announced that they have reach one million downloads.

The press announcement sent out earlier today gave some interesting insights into the user base, and it’s probably safe to assume that the data provided can be extrapolated across the Android platform.  Samsung is by far the most popular device maker, while others like HTC, Motorola, Sony and LG are fighting it out for a distant second place.

The Route 66 app is available in countries around the world including the Americas, Africa, Europe and Asia.  It’s free to install and provides turn-by-turn directions, 2D and 3D views, local weather reports and a host of other features.

With one million downloads, the app is now in the top one percent of all apps on the Google Play Store.  That’s quite an accomplishment for any developer, especially for a mapping program, given that we have just witnessed an example from Apple that showed exactly how difficult this genre of software can be to get right.

‘We are extremely pleased with the take-up of our solution on Google Play – our navigation applications are designed for a range of devices, but downloads on Android have exceeded all our expectations,’ said Job van Dijk, ROUTE 66 Chief Operating Officer. ‘The most frequently used device is the Samsung GALAXY S II, but at this moment the download rate to Samsung GALAXY S III devices is growing very fast. From what we can gather from user feedback, our end-users really like the free access to on-board and off-board maps for over 100 countries. We have also received very positive feedback on our unique Follow Me augmented reality navigation feature.’