Handheld devices like PDAs, mobile phones and multimedia players are all
being integrated with GPS function. Two major GPS brands in Europe and the US-Tomtom
and Garmin, both faced an impact on the stock price. Gartner estimated that
about 40 percent of mobile phones would be embedded with GPS by 2010. After
2010, most carmakers will also integrate GPS devices on the dashboard. GPS
manufacturers are sure to face a strong competition in the future. Nokia is
going to debut N95 mobile phone featured with audio and video display, digital
camera, and GPS to search maps in 100 countries and free city tour. Sony is also
planning to enter this market next spring as well as HP. Other car electronics
major manufacturers including Pioneer, Daewoo, and Alpine are also eyeing the
opportunity. Sensing the strong competition, Tomtom and Garmin will continue to
improve design and provide more entertainment information such as restaurant,
weather, and traffic. Tomtom's marketshare in Europe has exceeded 50 percent
and 20 percent in the US.