Combo Chipsets Will Drive GPS In Mass Market GSM Handsets In 2009

Oct 13, 2008 4:49 PM, MD&D News Staff

So far, CDMA handsets and personal navigation devices (PNDs) have been the main targets of GPS products. But the expected availability of chipsets that combine FM, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS in 2009 will open GSM handsets to navigation and popular location-based services (LBSs) like local search and social networking, according to ABI Research. Thanks to their large screens and text input facilities, many smart phones already offer standard GPS features.

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“Despite its appeal, the handset form factor poses a new series of challenges to GPS chipset vendors,” says ABI Research director Dominique Bonte. “While minimal power consumption, price, and small footprint are even more important in handsets than in PNDs, the bigger issue is related to indoor coverage, as handset-based LBS services will be frequently used in urban canyons and indoor environments such as shopping malls where GPS reception is impaired.”

“Combo” chipsets promise a solution to power, footprint, and price challenges while integrating alternative positioning technologies such as Wi-Fi for better indoor coverage and seamless positioning. Broadcom already has announced a partnership with Skyhook Wireless to develop the technology. Atheros, NXP, and Texas Instruments also expect to release chipsets in 2009, further accelerating the adoption of GPS in mass market handsets, ultimately leading to its inclusion as a standard feature.