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Mobile navigation has been one of the fastest growing sectors in the
consumer electronics market in recent years. Fully-integrated, easy-to-use
portable navigation devices (PNDs) are immensely popular for in-vehicle,
turn-by-turn GPS navigation. But the average selling price of PNDs has
fallen dramatically in the last three years, and while this is good news for
the consumer and drives demand, it has become an increasingly tough market
to compete in. Many vendors struggle to differentiate their products.
Retailers are demanding ever lower-priced devices, so margins for many
vendors are getting slimmer. This has forced some vendors to exit the
market, and others have been acquired. The vendors that remain have the
opportunity to gain market share and enter new distribution channels and
countries, but they must also find ways to innovate and take the industry
forward.
PND vendors are also being challenged by mobile phone vendors and
operators offering location-based services, especially navigation. The
mobile phone industry is at the forefront of broadening the relevance and
application of location-aware devices and software, developing services that
appeal to pedestrians, public transportation users and businesses and as
well as individual vehicle drivers. PND vendors, meanwhile, are trying to
move to connected devices and services themselves, bringing real-time
navigation and location-related data to their solutions, such as traffic and
fuel prices, but all the while facing the challenges presented by user
reluctance to commit to subscription services and the need to engage with
carriers and new channel partners. Companies with a heritage in GPS
navigation, mapping or in-car entertainment have many new partnership
opportunities and platform choices, but also a lot more competition in the
year ahead, and a difficult economic environment to navigate.
About the service
Mobile Navigation Analysis is the leading continuous service
delivering market intelligence on this topic and is
designed specifically for hardware and software vendors, mobile
operators, and mapping, content and component providers. Through
regular written analysis, detailed market data and direct analyst
contact, Canalys investigates and advises on the issues facing the
companies competing in this market. It identifies and analyses
emerging trends and gives clear recommendations for action.
Latest Mobile Navigation Analysis publications
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