The market for GPS satellite technology embedded in mobile consumer devices for navigation and location-based services is set to grow to more than $240 billion in five years, according to a new report from ABI Research. While GPS handsets and in-vehicle navigation systems will remain the most lucrative markets, industrial applications such as network timing, land surveying and machine control are quickly gaining momentum.
"The implementation of GPS technology in mobile consumer devices such as handsets and digital cameras, and its indoor use, pose some important challenges," says ABI Research Principal Analyst Dominique Bonte. "GPS technology was designed for outdoor use and specific military applications, and its weak signals and long fix times are not well-suited to indoor environments and mobile devices such as digital cameras with their low power consumption and always-on requirements."
Innovative workaround solutions based on the post-processing of the GPS signal are being developed, as is the use of assisted-GPS technology to provide location and satellite data to connected devices for faster fixes and better coverage. For deep indoor environments, GPS will have to be complemented with alternative positioning technologies such as Wi-Fi, motion sensors or even TV broadcast signals.
Global Navigation Satellite Positioning Solutions, a recent study from ABI Research, examines the applications and market segments of GPS technology, describing products, market players, trends, drivers and barriers. For more information, click here.
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