Speed Tracker review

We review Speed Tracker, an iPhone app that shares your speed for real life races with lead-footed friends

It’s hard to decide whether Speed Tracker is a game or an app. It’s filed under the App Store’s navigation category, so presumably Apple, at least, considers this to be more of an application than a game. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a lot of fun to be had with it’s rather unusual feature set.

Given that iPhones all have GPS built-in, and most come with a hefty data package alongside their contracts, sharing bits of personal information with friends has become a normal part of leaving the house for many of us. But most of us are still a tad cautious of sharing our location, not just for privacy’s sake, but because we might be avoiding people, or not where we should be.

Location sharing is a big part of Speed Tracker’s social service, though, from a rather different perspective than normal. What it actually shares is the speed you’re currently travelling at, comparing it with a Game Center-connected friend in something of a remote, real-world race.

Both your positions are overlaid onto Google Maps, with the current speed showing as you move around the maps. Statistics are also kept automatically by Speed Tracker as you move about the place, with top speed, average speed, location, distance and time all recorded and available to upload to Facebook later on.

A voice chat feature is built into the app, allowing you to converse with whoever you’re currently connected to through Game Center. As great as this feature sounds, it should be noted that it only actually works when both iPhones are connected to a Wi-Fi signal, which seems unlikely if you’re travelling around at 50 MPH or more.

As a single user, Speed Tracker finds itself much more on the application side of the fence, as it doubles up as a speedometer. Perhaps not massively useful in a car (though checking the accuracy of the car’s speedo is no bad thing), but quite an interesting feature if you’re on a train, boat, bicycle, skateboard or even on foot.

Certainly Speed Tracker is more of an entertainment product than a functional one, but that’s no criticism. It’s surprising how often you choose to test your current speed once the option is available, and for just 59p, it undeniably feels like value for money. Especially when the Cannonball Run-style motorway races begin…

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