Mobile phones are today seen as the third screen, and unlike the earlier screens of television and computer, the third screen has been impacting users in myriad ways. Today, mobile phones are a converged device-they enable computing, show directions, help surf the net, and are also used for calls and text messages. And of the many functionalities of a mobile phone a major application is gaining ground is the use of GPS. Today mobile phones are competing with the dedicated GPS devices, and being relatively cheaper than a dedicated GPS gadget, pose huge potential.

According to industry estimates, India is now the third largest smart phone market in Asia Pacific, after Japan and China, with quarterly shipments exceeding one million units for the first time in Q4 2007. And with an expected 19 mn more smart phones expected to ship over the next three years, India seems to be a ripe market for navigation applications and location-based services. GPS-enabled smart phones are available at affordable prices today, bringing them within reach of a large number of consumers and there seems to be significant potential for certain navigation and location-based services, particularly among younger, tech-savvy, middle class consumers.

GPS on a cell phone is poised to be the next big wave in mobility. According to ABI Research, the GPS-enabled handset market is expected to generate over $100 bn in revenue by 2012. With mobile phones becoming an integral part of every life, consumers are looking at more and more functionality in devices. The main advantage of GPS on a mobile is having mapping, routing, and navigation besides regular handset features like SMS, camera, email, etc. The future of navigation devices is virtually unlimited.

One vendor who is aggressively targeting this space in India is Nokia. Devinder Kishore, director, marketing, Nokia India says, "We are seeing that consumers are requesting for location-based applications such as mapping, routing and navigation to be essential platforms in mobile devices going forward. Nokia's strategy in this space is to offer world-leading maps and location applications as an integrated or supplementary solution to Nokia device users. From Nokia's stable we are looking at bringing rich location-based experiences to Nokia devices."

For vendors, Nokia maps and navigation will become a standard feature in all Nokia N series and Nokia E series devices, and in a wide range of other Nokia mobile phones. In addition, Nokia will also introduce a number of GPS-enabled mobile devices that will offer enhanced maps and navigation experience. By combining a mobile device with a personal navigation device, Nokia has lowered the cost of entry for people to discover and explore maps and navigation. In this space, Nokia has one of the most comprehensive product portfolios from dedicated navigation products to extensive smart devices, covering different segments of consumers. Players like Nokia have a clear lead in this space.

The GPS-based mobile phone market though is not big enough in its current stage, is expected to grow at an aggressive pace, and like Bluetooth, will become a standard feature three years down the line.

Shrikanth G
shrikanthg@cybermedia.co.in