Massive Growth in Mobile GPS Navigation Unit Shipments

[Jonathon Watkins]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.canalys.com/pr/2004/r2004093.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.canalys.com/pr/2004/r2004093.htm</a><br /><br /></div>"<i>• EMEA </i>(Europe, Middle East & Africa) mobile GPS navigation solution shipments reached 843,000 units in H1 2004 <br />• 720,000 of these were shipped with, or for use on, handhelds <br />• The majority of solutions shipped were bundled with a mobile device <br />• Dedicated, transferable GPS navigation devices accounted for just under 80,000 units <br />• Smart phone solutions will grow, but represent only around 3% of the market today."<br /><br />The figures above are taken from a Canalys report about mobile GPS Navigation units (as opposed to the non-Mobile GPS units :wink:) The short version is that shipments of GPS units to Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) have been rising fast. The research also shows that around 75% of navigation solutions for handhelds were sold as bundles combining a PDA, software, GPS module and associated car kit etc. TomTom has 26% of the market, Navigon has 20%, ViaMichelin has 12% and the others have 42%. These figures tie in with what PC Pro magazine <a href="http://www.pcpro.co.uk/realworld/63009/end-of-the-pda.html">are saying about PDA shipments </a>and why they are increasing:<br /><br /><i>"Now those of us in the business know where all this growth is coming from - satellite navigation. Add-on GPS (global positioning systems) from the likes of TomTom, Navman, Navigon and Via Michelin are driving sales of both Pocket PC and Palm OS handheld computers. Retailers are bundling PDAs and GPS modules together, which are being bought by both experienced PDA users and by new users, who don't care much about what operating system they're buying, so long as it gets them from Bexleyheath to Birmingham without getting lost. The price arguments for buying a GPS system in this way are compelling - specifying a GPS system for your new car can set you back well over £1,000, whereas a TomTom Go costs £499 all in." </i><br /><br />I have to say that I'm tempted to add a Bluetooth GPS unit to my Pocket PC and I don't think I'm the only one. How important is GPS to you and the folks around you that are interested in Pocket PCs? Are you finding a lot of interest in bundled GPS solutions as the report suggest, or is GPS still a nice-to-have toy?

[obvious]

GPS was the main reason I first got a pocketpc. It's just so cheap. Why anybody would NOT pay a couple of hundred pounds (including PDA) for the privilege of never having to worry about navigation hassles is beyond me. The only downside is I have no excuse to argue with my GF in the car any more about directions ;)

Xtrac2 bluetooth GPS mice are just becoming available and by the looks of it, a satellite fix can now be had even while going through some tunnels and satellite acquisition times are down to a few seconds while lag is becoming a thing of the past.

For the record I'm currently running :-
Dell X30H
Fortuna Clip-On GPS
TomTom Navigator

For those in the UK who might want to know more about it, www.pocketgps.co.uk is a great resource.

[Jereboam]

GPS navigation is my showcase app - I love whipping out my iPaq and running a demo route for people with TomTom. Without fail it has stunned everybody.

Not to mention keeping me heading in the right direction in 3 different countries on a regular basis, in my own car, hire cars...on foot.

And for me, it completely validates Bluetooth on the Pocket PC. No wires means no hassle.

It's much more than a toy...

Also using a Fortuna Clip-On (http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/fortuna-clip-on.php), it's small, great (replaceable, uses Nokia mobile phone batteries) battery life, SiRF Xtrac 2, great perfomance.

By the way, there are basically few better mounts for PDA navigation that RAM (http://www.ram-mount.com/) for everything from motorbikes to cars.

J'bm

[carphead]

I love GPS. :D

I brought TomTom and a Haicom Slipper system about five months ago and love it. I dont travel much for work but when I do its a lifesaver. Just the ability to add POI’s to tomtom makes it worth the money. The UK's awful road system/infrastructure makes on the fly route generations a vital part. I’ll never be without it now. I'm thinking of buying co pilot for my smartphone now. For those times I leave the ipaq at home :)

[Jereboam]

carphead, you now have TomTom Mobile (http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/tomtom-mobile.php) for Smartphones, which works extremely well by all accounts...

And being in the UK you should definitely use the Pocket GPS UK Safety Camera Database (http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/uksafetycameras.php) for your...safety. ;)

J'bm

[nobody]

I used Mapopolis with Bluetooth GPS receiver. It's like Pocket PC is made for GPS navigation. And I can also tell you that Smartphone GPS navigation is a pain because of smaller screen.

I also feel that Pocket PC GPS navigation solution is a much better solution than in-car navigation system because I can take it into the house and do the trip planning first.

I am getting a VGA Pocket PC soon. Hopefully that will be the ultimate combination.

[disconnected]

I'm also using Mapopolis with a bluetooth GPS receiver (an older Fortuna model). I already had the PPC, and just bought the GPS stuff because I thought it would be a fun toy. Now I can't imagine being without it. I think ffrom a driver perspective, a larger screen, like a laptop, might be better, but in our case, we mostly use it with my husband driving and me navigating, and it works fine. I used to have my head buried in maps tracking our route; now it's all automatic, and I love it. I don't have any desire for a packaged solution; I like to keep buying later and greater PPCs and with separate pieces I don't have to upgrade everything at once.

Unfortunately, I read that Mapopolis isn't currently working well with the iPAQ 4700, which makes me a little hesitant of rushing into getting the 4700.

[OneAngryDwarf]

I got a belkin bluetooth gps (same as fortuna) off of dell.com and it has been a life saver... just moved to LA a couple weeks ago and it is seriously my most precious item... i'm directionaly declined but this thing coupled w/ my iPaq 2215 makes me feel like I know where everything in LA is. Couple this with $5 internet access from T-Mobile which I use to access addresses and I'm always able to find my way... Simply awesome...
If you are not good with directions, or you travel alot, or if you are new to a city then you've got to get one of these. You'll be using your AAA maps to make wearable hats in no time... ok I was bored.

[surur]

Yes, who would have thought the killer app for pocketpc's would be GPS?

It does make sense however. GPS maps benefit from colour screens, adding storage and fast processors. Unfortunately, unless these GPS users go on to the other uses of GPS, dedicated GPS units, like tomtom GO, which is basically a pocketpc not running an OS, may take over the market again. Ive seen them advertised on billboards in London, which can only mean GPS is mainstream now.



http://www.tomtom.com/lib/img/rollover_img/large/07.jpg

Surur

[carphead]

carphead, you now have TomTom Mobile (http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/tomtom-mobile.php) for Smartphones, which works extremely well by all accounts...


Two issues with TTMobile.
1 - It's a complete kit and ties you into the TT GPS unit. Co Pilot doesn't
2 - It doesn't work with my C500


And being in the UK you should definitely use the Pocket GPS UK Safety Camera Database (http://www.pocketgps.co.uk/uksafetycameras.php) for your...safety. ;)

J'bm

I do and it's helped make me "Safe" several times. ;)

[Lost Cause]

It was GPS that got me into PocketPCs. I was put off by the cost of installed car GPS systems and was attracted by the low price and portability of a PDA based one.

So, I waited patiently for three months for the launch of the 2210 and then bought one immediately. Although my primary app was GPS, I'm now a PocketPC nut and use it for everything.

Current set-up is still a 2210 (interested in the 4700, but will wait for prices to drop), with a Fortuna Clip-On (superb) and TomTom (also superb).

Everyone who sees it is gobsmacked, and at least six friends now have a similar set-up - all driven by the GPS application. A couple are really into their PDAs now, and the others are getting slowly enthusiastic too.

Agree wholeheartedly with all of the well written posts above.

[n1ck]

There's nothing like driving through a strange city in a one way system in the pouring rain in a hired car to appreciate the benefit of a Pocket PC based GPS system.

This is a killer application for me; and when combined with an Aquapac and Memory Map it can then be used for offshore sailing to give vital assurance that you are where you think you are on the charts!

[Oleander]

This is a killer application for me;

For me too! I actually payed in excess of 800$ for my navman GPS jacket years ago and now I wouldnt leave home without it.

I've actually come to depend so much on the system so that when I went on vacation this year with my family, I only brought along the GPS-unit and no maps.

Bummer! It failed miserably when it had to navigate thru the Ruhr-district. It culminated when after hours of misguidance we ended up being led off the autobahn and thru Essen during rush hour. After that I bought a map and used it for navigating the rest of the trip to Paris. :?

[Jereboam]

and when combined with an Aquapac and Memory Map it can then be used for offshore sailing

:lol:

Admit it, you use your Aquapac for reading in the bath too...

J'bm

[Jonathon Watkins]

GPS was the main reason I first got a pocketpc. It's just so cheap. Why anybody would NOT pay a couple of hundred pounds (including PDA) for the privilege of never having to worry about navigation hassles is beyond me. The only downside is I have no excuse to argue with my GF in the car any more about directions ;)

Welcome Obvious. I'm glad you did not need your GPS unit to find us. :wink:

For the record I'm currently running :-
Dell X30H
Fortuna Clip-On GPS
TomTom Navigator

Hmm, lots of you useing the Fortuna Clip-On GPS. I had a quick look and it goes for £150 including maps. Nice! Tempting.....

For those in the UK who might want to know more about it, www.pocketgps.co.uk is a great resource.

Cheers for that. I've been there before and indeed, it is a good place to go.

[Jonathon Watkins]

It was GPS that got me into PocketPCs. I was put off by the cost of installed car GPS systems and was attracted by the low price and portability of a PDA based one.

So, I waited patiently for three months for the launch of the 2210 and then bought one immediately. Although my primary app was GPS, I'm now a PocketPC nut and use it for everything.

Good man. :way to go: Good to have you drop into our neighbourhood. I'm sure you can find your way around. :wink:

Current set-up is still a 2210 (interested in the 4700, but will wait for prices to drop), with a Fortuna Clip-On (superb) and TomTom (also superb).


Hmmm, another one with the Fortuna Clip-On. Did you get TomTom in a bundle or did you get it separately?

[Jonathon Watkins]

Bummer! It failed miserably when it had to navigate thru the Ruhr-district. It culminated when after hours of misguidance we ended up being led off the autobahn and thru Essen during rush hour. After that I bought a map and used it for navigating the rest of the trip to Paris. :?

What was the main problem Oleander? Were the maps not accurate? Stories like this make me nervous, as one of the main reasons for me to have a GPS unit would be to us it in unfamiliar places & on holday....

[jerryd]

I too bought GPS, Mapopolis and an i.Trek mouse during a Semsons sale, as a "toy" but had no idea just how much I'd use it. Went back to MA for a party this past weekend, and several others called our cell to find out how to get to the restaurant because the emailed directions were wrong. We got there early, so had to suffer by waiting in the lounge :D

[BobWitt]

I've been looking at GPS BT add to my 4150, the recent MS Streets & Trips 2005 with receiver (was $99 at Office Max) has made me look & study more...

The above would have needed a BT 'shoe' to do what I wanted, and it seems S&T didn't have some of the features I'd be looking for...

Looking at the TomTom kit - is a holder for the PPC really worth $50?? Does it include a power supply?

If would be nice to have a GPS Forum right here on PPCT....

BobWitt

[nodyel]

If would be nice to have a GPS Forum right here on PPCT....

BobWitt

Yes! I'll add my vote to that :D .

For the record, I have a Navman PiN (re-branded Mitac Mio 168) :way to go:

[Jereboam]

Bummer! It failed miserably when it had to navigate thru the Ruhr-district. It culminated when after hours of misguidance we ended up being led off the autobahn and thru Essen during rush hour. After that I bought a map and used it for navigating the rest of the trip to Paris. :?

What was the main problem Oleander? Were the maps not accurate? Stories like this make me nervous, as one of the main reasons for me to have a GPS unit would be to us it in unfamiliar places & on holday....

Jonathon, this is highly unusual. The thing to remember about GPS guidance software, is that your own local knowledge (ie your personal tried-and-tested shortcut to work for example) will always beat it. However - your GPS software will get you there even if it wasn't the spookiest route.

TomTom Navigator has taken me on some highly unusual routings, which at the time have led to much fist-waving and a slightly nervous anticipation of ending up somewhere called the Slaughtered Lamb at night (props for anyone who gets that), but I have always eventually arrived at my destination. Most packages are not traffic-aware yet, but I think several will support TMC traffic broadcasts in the future which will be awesome.

So don't let your confidence take a knock, it's a great plus to have this kind of navigation in your hands...

J'bm