The number of suppliers in mainland China and Taiwan has increased over the years as the popularity of navigation devices continues to grow worldwide. Declining prices, maturing technology and supporting software have added to the product's acceptance into the mainstream.

The low barrier of entry makes it easy for new makers to join the line. However, the ensuing intense competition may force marginal players to exit the industry.

Most mainland China makers are involved in the production of other electronic products before diversifying to portable GPS. Taiwan makers, in comparison, tend to have a longer track record in the GPS industry and are more focused on firmware and electronic design.

The following are some of the key trends we see in China's portable GPS industry:
- Mobile phones and portable GPS will continue to converge, with an estimated 20 million navigation enabled mobile phones shipped worldwide in 2007. While this presents several advantages for end-users, it is possible that mobile phone makers may encroach into the market share of traditional portable GPS suppliers.
- Apart from multimedia functions, such as MP3/MP4 player, e-book, photo viewer and FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity will be integrated into high-end models. New models will also come with higher speed and larger storage for more complex mapping functions including minute-by-minute traffic and weather updates.
- Suppliers will continue to modify their bill of materials to reduce sourcing costs. Processors are usually sourced from Samsung, GPS chipsets are from SiRF and Centrality Atlas, and LCD panels are from AUO, Samsung and Sharp.
- Cosmetic and circuit design, value-added features, and reliable positioning and navigating performance will top product development priorities.
- While makers are integrating more features into their portable GPS, prices are expected to drop in 2008 mainly because of competition and the declining cost of components.
In this Report
- 25 in-depth company profiles
- 14 short company profiles
- 113 top-selling export products
- Supplier demographics
- Supplier survey
- Industry statistics and charts