POLL: What is the Future of GPS?

by steve casimiro on March 14, 2011 · 4 comments

4 responses

I’m surrounded by equipment that knows where it is. My phone, iPad, and heart monitor. The new POV camera. The latest Timex. A personal Lojack to tuck into your backpack. And then across my desk comes a press release from Garmin, maker of the gold standard in GPS. Even though sales increased 15 percent in the outdoor market, the company’s most recent fourth-quarter earnings dropped in half. The reason? Smartphone navigation is eroding the demand for stand alone GPS units.

Garmin doesn’t see that trend ending soon and has warned Wall Street to expect continuing weakness in personal navigation. Meanwhile, it’s focusing efforts on integrating GPS into devices like its terrific Edge 500 cycling computer and hoping that the currently small ($147 million in 4Q sales) portion from outdoor gains ground quickly on the foundering dashtop segment ($551 million in 4Q).

Not that long ago, the standalone GPS seemed like the killer device. But then manufacturers scrambled to add traffic, weather, streaming radio…and in Cupertino, Apple was doing the same thing, but better. And so now if you’re an outdoor person who wants electronic navigation assist, you have a myriad of choices, from the iPhone and Droid to dedicated units from Garmin, Magellan, and others. Do you carry GPS and leave the waterphobic phone at home? Rely on the battery-sucking phone and save the money you’d spend on GPS? Use the phone GPS in the car and an outdoor-specific GPS on the trail? Unless you eschew technology altogether, there’s no easy answer.

So, that brings us to this week’s poll:

Tagged as: navigation, technology

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Craig Rowe March 14, 2011 at 08:45: I am by no means a technophobe and am considering pulling the trigger on a SPOT for safety reasons only. When off trail hiking, it’s never good to not be aware of your surroundings. It is my opinion that a GPS can act like a cell phone in the car. Sure, you arrive safe, but how in the hell did I get here?

Your GPS can be money every time, absolutely. To me, relying on a GPS as your only means of nav is a serious risk. Now, if you back that up with traditional means, then you’re pretty much as prepared as you can be.
Fkarcha March 14, 2011 at 09:43: I can understand how dashboard units are taking heat from Smartphone and dashboard integrated GPS. The urban and personal vehicle environment are very safe places for your cell phone. The needs of outdoor enthusiast or professional (Mil, search-and-rescue, researchers, parks service) markets cannot be met by smartphones, at least not ones that don’t integrate protection from the elements and shock. And that market must be much smaller than the dedicated handheld GPS market.
Anthony - Motojournalism.com March 14, 2011 at 13:48: Yep, what Fkarcha said. Most folks will be fine with GPS/pseudo GPS on smartphones etc. – Everything integrated into one device makes sense.
Many people will still need dedicated devices though. I travel internationally by motorcycle and need something that can be mounted to the handlebars, withstand rain, dust, sand, engine vibration etc. and it needs to work without wifi/mobile coverage.

I’m happy to finally see competition forcing Garmin to scramble though. Garmin’s build quality and receiver technology are excellent, but their user interface stinks! (60csx) The maps have been too expensive and are slow to update. Third-world coverage is really spotty too.

Even when the GPS is on, I’ve always got the map and compass out!
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=511498&page=38#568

Interesting posts as always Steve, keep it up!
jimm March 17, 2011 at 04:21: A dedicated GPS for car is still better than any current smart-phone with GPS function. But this may change in the future.