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In ancient times travelers trusted the good old mariners compass to navigate
their way. And at times people went by the flight of insects or flies, when on
voyages through seas. But, as the world evolves, so does the way we navigate.
Today entomologists, using GPS, track the humble fly itself! What is interesting
here is that navigation tools which had exclusivity to aviation and the shipping
industry, have now become commonplace. In todays navigation, the key GPS
applications are manifested through dedicated devices, mobile phones, and
through the Internet.
However, up until about 232004, there was very little consumer awareness
about the value of digital maps and location-based services. Printed map books
had become common, and asking people on the road for directions was prevalent.
But with the launch of mapping and direction portals in India, such as
MapmyIndia.com in September, 2004; the worldwide launch of Google Earth
depicting satellite imagery in 2005; and recently, the introduction of Yahoo!
India Maps in 2006consumers have started realizing the benefits of being able
to easily search for a map, print the customized route map with turn-by-turn
directions, and carry it with them. Also, since companies like MapmyIndia.com
power store locators for leading banks and car companies such as ICICI, HDFC,
Hyundai, etc, consumers have started finding more utilities for digital maps.
A Little History
According to experts, GPS navigation as a market has been around for the
last couple of years. In the past, the key inhibitors had been low quality
products and non-availability of maps. But, quality maps powering quality GPS
navigation solutions like Airtels launch of GPS navigation on Blackberry in
June, 2007 has greatly empowered users. Vendors have also launched in-car GPS
navigation in India, and these have helped improve customer perceptions. Today,
consumers are becoming more and more aware of these products and services, and
are choosing to either install them in their cars or on their mobile phones.
General Motors, for example, is offering GPS navigation as a standard accessory
with their premium car models.
GPS, while it sounds complicated, is actually a simple technology with a
great impact on the end-user. With the help of a network of 24 US military
satellites that have digitally coded information, GPS receivers receive
information from these satellites. And the software to calculate the accurate
position further processes these signals. The device needs to receive signals
from a minimum of three satellites to give accurate positioning. And, at any
given time, the receiver is capable of receiving signals from at least twelve
satellites.
The Indian Players
SatNav and MapMyIndia are doing most of the pioneering work in India. However,
mobile handset players are taking the plunge and offering GPS enabled mobile
devices. GPS, through cell phones, is poised to be the next big wave in
mobility. According to ABI Research, the GPS-enabled handset market is expected
to generate revenue in the tune of billions of Rupees by 2012. With mobile
phones becoming an integral part of their lives, consumers are looking at more
and more functionality in a single device. Companies like Nokia say that the
main advantage of GPS on mobile devices is having mapping, routing, and
navigation functionalities, besides regular handset features like SMS, camera,
email, etc. Hence, it is worth mentioning that the future of navigation devices
is virtually unlimited. Recent advances highlight the huge potential that exists
for future navigation and positioning applications.
Shrikanth G
shrikanthg@cybermedia.co.in
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