New Competition Set To Threaten GPS Vendors

location based services

New competition is set to threaten established portable navigation device vendors, according to a new study by ABI Research. The Research firm said since features previously only available in high-end models are now available in inexpensive models as well, connectivity will be “the last bastion of feature differentiation.”
"By next year, simple one-way traffic information over satellite radio will be found even on the lowest-priced portable navigation devices sold for under $300. The big players in the portable navigation market are going to see increased competition, not just from me-too products offered by the classic consumer electronics vendors, but also from thin-client specialized vendors such as TeleNav and Wayfinder," said ABI Research principal analyst Dan Benjamin.
"The thin-client players will be able to advertise perpetually updated maps and POI, and lower up-front costs due to reduced storage and...