Sales of GPS-enabled mobile phones will reach $100 billion by 2012 - double the revenue they will generate next year.That is the forecast of the ABI Research services, whose industry analyst Shailendra Pandey said: "Nokia’s acquisition of NAVTEQ, Broadcom’s acquisition of Global Locate, CSR’s acquisition of NordNav Technologies and Cambridge Positioning Systems, and the tussle between TomTom and Garmin to acquire Tele Atlas – gives a clear indication of the plans and commitment of industry players to address the GPS-enabled handset market."
A GPS phone is a handset with an inbuilt system which can be used for travelling and tracking purposes. They usually have built-in maps and step-by-step direction software.
ABI's prediction that the GPS-enabled handset market will grow so rapidly is based on the belief that chipset manufacturers now have the technology to integrate GPS at low cost. It also points to "significant" improvements in accuracy and reception in indoor spaces.
In terms of services, mobile operators are now offering attractive location-based services (LBS) features which can provide location-specific information to mobile users moving from location to location.
Proof of the rise of GPS comes in the fact that giant handset manufacturers such as Nokia, Motorola, RIM and Samsung, are introducing GPS-enabled devices to their line-ups.
mobilenews
New magical blue circle on your map
We've all been there: You're out and about, and you need to figure out where you are, what's around you, and how to get there. Google Maps for mobile can help you do all that, but first you have to enter in a starting point using the keypad. And let's face it -- entering things into your phone using the keypad is so 2006. While some people are lucky enough to have GPS-enabled mobile phones that provide location information for Google Maps for mobile, the vast majority of us are not. So what to do?
Starting today, we have an answer: Google Maps for mobile with My Location . My Location is a new beta technology from Google that uses cell tower identification to provide you with approximate location information, so it will work on phones without GPS. Simply fire up Google Maps for mobile, press [0], and the map will indicate your approximate location by centering on a blue circle like this:
If you do have a GPS-enabled device, My Location can actually complement it. My Location kicks in faster than GPS in most cases, so you can access your location even faster on the map. It also works reliably indoors (unlike GPS) and doesn't drain your phone battery at the rate that GPS does.
Of course, this feature is in beta, which in this case means a few different things: First, although accuracy and coverage may vary, both will improve over time as more and more people use Google Maps for mobile. Second, My Location isn't currently supported on all devices (see our Help Center for more on this); we're working on that. Third, we'd love to get your feedback on it -- feel free to leave your comments below.
To give Google Maps for mobile with My Location a try, text "MYLOCATION" to 33669, or head to www.google.com/gmm on your mobile browser.
If you'd like to learn more about the My Location technology, take a look at this short video:
Starting today, we have an answer: Google Maps for mobile with My Location . My Location is a new beta technology from Google that uses cell tower identification to provide you with approximate location information, so it will work on phones without GPS. Simply fire up Google Maps for mobile, press [0], and the map will indicate your approximate location by centering on a blue circle like this:
If you do have a GPS-enabled device, My Location can actually complement it. My Location kicks in faster than GPS in most cases, so you can access your location even faster on the map. It also works reliably indoors (unlike GPS) and doesn't drain your phone battery at the rate that GPS does.
Of course, this feature is in beta, which in this case means a few different things: First, although accuracy and coverage may vary, both will improve over time as more and more people use Google Maps for mobile. Second, My Location isn't currently supported on all devices (see our Help Center for more on this); we're working on that. Third, we'd love to get your feedback on it -- feel free to leave your comments below.
To give Google Maps for mobile with My Location a try, text "MYLOCATION" to 33669, or head to www.google.com/gmm on your mobile browser.
If you'd like to learn more about the My Location technology, take a look at this short video:
