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Berg Insight: Shipments of GPS-enabled handsets increased 92% in 2009

Categories: Devices, Research
By: , IntoMobile
Saturday, March 20th, 2010 at 1:04 AM

Global shipments of GPS-enabled handsets increased 92% in 2009 to 150 million units, according to a new research report by Berg Insight. Growing at CAGR of 38.7%, shipments are forecasted to reach 770 million units in 2014.

Adoption of GPS technology started in smartphones and is now essentially a standard feature on all new models. However, Berg argues that soon enough (this year) we’ll see GPS receivers built inside a slew of lower cost feature phones. Moreover, the research company says we should also expect “gradual improvements in location performance in handsets.”

Speaking of improvements, they should come from new multi-mode receivers that will also support the Russian GLONASS satellite system. Handsets with this kind of technology are set to hit the market at some point in 2011, enabling sufficiently strong signals to get a fix in more locations. Moreover, adopting European Galileo is what comes next, and so do in-door location technologies. In other words, the future is in hybrid location technologies that work in urban canyons and indoors…

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About The Author

Dusan Belic

Dusan has been using smartphones since their introduction and is now following the latest trends in the industry. The "convergence" is what he's most excited about, and writing about it is the next logical thing to do. He thinks that using a smartphone is what everyone who cares about their time should do. In addition to his interests in mobile phones, Dusan also loves to experiment with the latest web and mobile 2.0 services. The idea of accessing and managing your information from any device no matter where you are simply amazes him. Whether it's an online to-do list, note taking service or a video sharing social network, he's there to try it out. He admits though, he's still searching for the ultimate web-based organizational tool, which "sings" perfectly with the mobile PIM application. Dusan used to run SymbianWatch.com which later became part of IntoMobile. He lives in Serbia, South-East Europe, from where he edits the site on a daily basis.

  • Paul Manning

    The major issue with GPS is the quality of the information provided, leaving POI’s to be uploaded by the general public will soon have an out of date log.
    GPS locals have been commissioned to build a complete official database of all things and all place suitable for GPS, now people and manufacturers needn’t get worried as the information gathered will be provided FREE for users and manufacturers. This new interoperable database will collect the information and keep it constantly up dated.

    Places of commercial interest can also list their establishments for a small fee of just 10 Euros per year and can include information on products & services which can all be searched for, so get listed where your customers will be looking, on satnavs and phones…………GPSLocals.com, isn’t it time you where found?