SiRF CEO: GPS technology in growing number of consumer applications

location based services

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology now has a wide range of applications in consumer electronics, thanks to major reductions in the size of chipsets and improvements in signal reception, according to Michael Canning, president and CEO of SiRF Technology, in interview with DigiTimes.com on June 28.
SiRF is a leading global provider of GPS-enabled chipsets and software location platforms.
Summary of interview with Michael Canning
Question
Answer
What significant changes has the GPS industry seen in the past five years, and how will these changes affect the development of GPS-based terminal devices over the next five years?
In the past, GPS receivers were large and their ability to receive satellite signals was limited. In that situation, the applications were restricted to military or other specific purposes. Now that the chipsets are smaller and signal reception greatly improved, counteracting noise and interference in urban environments, GPS technology is being increasingly deployed in consumer electronics. Applications developed by SiRF include speed-camera radar detectors, location-based services (LBS) digital cameras, vehicle navigation devices with built-in electronic maps, LBS game consoles and personal security tracers.
In addition to its widespread use in car navigation, what does SiRF think are possible new applications for GPS technology?
With location positioning as the core value, GPS technology will soon be used in handsets, DVD players, MP3 players and ultra-mini PCs.
What is the main difference between the GPS market in Asia and that of the US and Europe, and how does SiRF handle differences in product development?
While the US and Europe account for most of the global demand for GPS products, Asia is the main production base for markets catering to specific product items. SiRF's product development is based on global demand and general use.
SiRF and its Taiwan partner Mitac International have enjoyed business success with in-car GPS navigation devices. Will SiRF look for other partners in other areas of GPS applicability?
Mitac is one of our main clients, in terms of chipset procurement, and SiRF hopes to promote each new application through cooperation with leading makers in the industry, such as Garmin for navigation systems and Motorola for GPS-enabled handsets. As well, we hope to expand our business operations through mergers and strategic alliances