Sat nav manufacturers will be alarmed by the launch of the Motorola Droid handset in the US last week. Not only is it the first mobile phone to bring turn-by-turn navigation to the excellent Google mapping software; it’s also a turbocharged reconnaissance device with features that traditional sat nav makers can only dream about.

In the Droid, we see a phone, its GPS receiver and an internet connection linked together as never before. The reason it can do this is because the Droid runs the new edition of Google’s Android operating system for phones (dubbed Donut). This updated Android is capable of combining information from many sources onto a single display. For example, Google Maps on the 3.7in touchscreen can be customised to show traffic information, up-to-the-minute bus times, Wikipedia entries for local landmarks and even the whereabouts of any of your friends on Google Latitude, the company’s geotagged social network.

Choosing a destination involves entering an address, browsing contacts or connecting to a search engine (Google’s own, naturally). Although the Droid comes with a fiddly slide-out qwerty keyboard, an easier option is the surprisingly reliable voice-recognition system: simply hit a button and say, for example, “Find biodiesel,” to see the nearest green fuel pumps in your area.

As well as displaying sat-nav-style maps, Droid can pull up images of turns, junctions and lane changes en route using Google’s Street View photo library. Because the Droid relies on its internet connection to pull down maps, photos and traffic data as necessary, it is always up to date and can calculate trip times in seconds.

However, venture out of mobile signal coverage and you won’t be able to change your route or conduct new searches, which could leave you stranded — unless you’ve spent £25-plus for back-up GPS software. Donut has other holes too: web browsing is slower and clunkier than on the iPhone, fewer apps are available to download (and are often of lower quality), the 5Mp camera has trouble focusing and the media player is no match for that of the iPhone.

That hasn’t stopped the Droid making quite an impact, though: shares in the sat nav makers TomTom and Garmin plunged after news of its release. The Droid will soon arrive in Italy and Germany, renamed the Motorola Milestone; a UK release date has yet to be set, as has the price — the US version is available from about $200 (£120) on a contract.

It’s possible that some European versions of the phone may end up using Motorola’s ho-hum Motonav software instead of Google Maps, providing a temporary stay of execution for sat nav makers. But for how long?

DIAL 'M' FOR MAPS

It may be special, but the Droid is not the only mobile to offer turn-by-turn navigation. Here are the best of its rivals.

TomTom app for iPhone
TomTom, the sat nav maker, isn’t sitting back watching while mobiles steal its market. Its £60 app for the iPhone is impressive and easy to operate, with turn-based navigation and features such as IQ Routes, which estimates traffic levels depending on the time of day. Its car kit for the iPhone is an excellent — though, at £100, expensive — idea.

Ovi Maps for Nokia
Any Nokia handset with GPS can run this free app, though if you want turn-based directions you’ll have to pay for a £50 subscription. While it includes basic 3-D mapping, it does lack the live traffic updates of the Motorola Droid.

TelMap on BlackBerry
Available for a £40 annual subscription, the TelMap software isn’t downloaded onto the BlackBerry but stays on the company’s servers. The advantage is that it can be updated with live traffic flow and roadworks data, although that requires a good phone signal to be maintained.

Explore Tech & Web

• Personal Tech

• The Web

• Gadgets & Gaming