Smartphones using Google's Android operating system are getting a software update that will turn them into fully functioning GPS devices intended to rival traditional in-car global positioning systems.

The upgrade to the Android operating system, which will affect phones running version 1.6 or later, will outfit devices with several new features, including turn-by-turn navigation and Google Street View capability.

The turn-by-turn feature will work like a regular in-car GPS: the user inputs a destination and the device provides directions to that destination.

Android smartphones have an advantage over stand-alone GPS devices, Google said, because they have a constant internet connection, so their maps and directions are always up-to-date. Regular GPS devices need to be connected to a computer periodically to refresh such information.

Google's system also uses the company's search database, so a destination doesn't have to be entered in the form of an address. The user can instead put in the name of a business or landmark.

As with the Google Maps feature on Apple's iPhone, users can also opt to display real-time traffic information as an overlay on their route.

Street View, voice search

Android phones with GPS will also be able to use Google's popular Street View feature, which displays ground-level photos of the streets the user wants to see. The phones can be set to automatically shift into Street View when they near the destination. Updated Android devices will also be able to display satellite photographs to give an overhead view of a route, Google said.

Phones running Android 2.0 or later — which in Canada includes the Motorola Milestone, Google Nexus One, Acer Liquid, HTC Desire and HTC Legend — will also have voice search capability, so destinations can be input through speech rather than by typing.

Android's GPS has a significant downside compared to stand-alone devices, however, in that it relies on a cellular connection, rather than just a satellite signal, for accuracy. Its usefulness might be limited in areas with poor cellular reception.

Users also incur data charges while using the Android GPS. Google said the usage is minimal, with a 20-kilometre trip consuming only about 200 kilobytes of data, but charges can accumulate on long journeys. Users could also rack up huge bills by using the phone GPS outside of their home country, where roaming charges kick in.

Traditional GPS makers such as Garmin and TomTom are adding more features and functions to their devices to head off the challenge from smartphone makers. TomTom recently added a downloadable option to their GPS features that allows users to have their directions spoken in the voices of Star Wars characters, including Darth Vader and Yoda.

Google first made its enhanced navigation features available in the U.S. on the Motorola Droid, the American version of the Milestone, in October.