The National Geographic Institute (or IGN) offers iPhiGéNie, a free mapping and tracking application for displaying and locating your favorite IGN maps. You will never get lost on a hike again, and you can create tracks and other geography applications. You can download iPhiGéNie to your Android smartphone or iPhone.
iPhiGéNie provides access to the full range of free resources (no subscription required): open street maps, mapquest, non-terrain IGN plots, plots from IGN Spain and Geography Company, IGN Italy, BGK Germany, NMA Norway. During your first connection you will have access to all IGN resources (free and paid) for 7 days, after which you will not be able to access the topographic layers (sizes <= 1/1000000) without subscription or purchase.
You can purchase your favorite IGN Basic Maps or subscribe directly into the app (this will be managed directly from the appropriate module in your Play Store account on the App Store on Android or iOS). You can retrieve your external subscriptions directly from the app or insert your separately purchased IGN Map.
How to use iPhiGéNie?
The interface of the application is unfortunately far from modern and easy to access. Fortunately, manuals for each device are available on the iPhiGéNie website in the form of FAQs to help you manage your application. If you have any questions you can email customer support every day of the week to help you.
On Android
During the first release, the learning pattern is stimulated. This allows you to look around to understand the use of the interface.
You can access on-board documents at any time via the main menu by tapping and launching information. Additionally, pressing certain buttons for long periods of time can provide quick assistance in applying the associated function.
on iOS
The iPhiGéNie interface on iOS is similar to that on Android. On the other hand, users of Apple branded mobile devices do not benefit from the learning mode, which is a shame. The main menu is located at the bottom of the screen and allows you to sort it with a simple tap (says IGN and copyright date) in the center of the dark bar.
Also, unlike Android, there is no support for the tools in the menu. The rest of the features are the same.
What are the features of iPhiGéNie?
The gray bar at the bottom of the screen is used to open the main menu and access the GPS Location Tool (left) and Zoom (right). The latter can be magnified automatically with a simple press, while a longer pressure brings a more precise zoom tool. You can also zoom in and out by pinching the screen with your fingers.
When displaying your basic map, the calibration tool can be used in a very simple way. Place two fingers on the screen, each at your preferred location, you will get the distance between the two points and the GPS coordinates of each, their height and their azimuth. When activating one of the two markers, it can be moved by pressing and moving the clear circle that appears next to it.
From the main menu (by tapping on the center of the gray bar where IGN is written) you can access all mapping tools: markers and tracks (recording), basic map selection, creating tiles, changing 3D display (except iOS), using a magnetometer for location with phone orientation.
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