I'm as old-school as anyone, still am happy with my flip phone and don't own a sounder with GPS.  A conversation with my two techie son-in-laws led me to thinking... Are there any smartphones with a GPS app that is "fishing applicable"?  Down loadable with contoured lake maps and able to load/store waypoints as GPS units available within locators are?  Maybe there's a good reason I haven't seen an ad or discussion about one.

 

oe

Navionics Boating App with a Vexilar Sonarphone transducer.

You can have both the map and sonar displayed AND you can create HD contour mapping in real time with the Sonar Charts Live feature.

I have that setup for use with Android and iOS devices.

This is the Sonarphone app on an iPad:

You can download the Sonarphone app free to practice with the simulator to see if you want to purchase the transducer.

 

 

 

The dark areas are Sonar Charts Live contours overlayed on a Navionics Sonar Charts map using the Sonarphone and Navionics Boating App.

 

Most smartphone screens can be difficult to see outdoors in bright sunlight. Before I invested anything to do with using one for a depthfinder, I'd make sure you could use it outdoors with no problem.

23 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Most smartphone screens can be difficult to see outdoors in bright sunlight. Before I invested anything to do with using one for a depthfinder, I'd make sure you could use it outdoors with no problem.

Good advice !!!!

I actually wouldn't want it for a sonar.  Thought having contoured lake maps to store some waypoints on might push me over the brink to get a smart(er) phone.  My wife would immediately buy it for me as she's been trying to convince me to join the 21st century.  I don't think I'd use the feature regularly, but occasionally drop a waypoint to check back on later. 

 

oe

I'd keep the flip phone and buy a depthfinder with GPS.

 

SE Kansas grass grower

Wayne... From the online promo information I couldn't decipher whether the Navionics Boating App would let me place and store waypoints?

 

oe

1 hour ago, OkobojiEagle said:

Wayne... From the online promo information I couldn't decipher whether the Navionics Boating App would let me place and store waypoints?

 

oe

You can create shared waypoints that are called Community Edits. The symbols here are what they are:

If you look at the Navionics website's Web App, they are shown there also.

Interesting... so your local lake maps are peppered with everyone else's waypoints.  The maps must reside on Navionics' server not on your individual phone?  I'm assuming there is an annual fee to access the maps after you download the app?  Might be worth my dollars if I used it more than a half dozen times a year, but I doubt I would.

 

oe

The maps are downloaded to the mobile device with the same data that is on the website.

You update the device data to keep it current. My smartphones automatically do updates. I do it manually with my tablets.

It is an annual subscription