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…