What will happen to the standalone GPS?
Earlier on the blog, we discussed devices that the cell phone will make obsolete. But this list was conspicuously populated by devices that had their heyday in the 20th century (or earlier). Now, as smartphones get smarter, we are seeing a relatively new and shinier gadget slipping onto the endangered species list: the standalone GPS navigation device.
Garmin, TomTom, Magellan and other makers of GPS devices have just recently moved into the mainstream, with such navigational sidekicks being ubiquitous in rental cars, long haul trucks and almost every mid- to high-end passenger vehicle. But now that many cell phones also have integrated GPS and turn-by-turn navigation apps (including later models of the the even more omnipresent BlackBerry), a $200 device that only does one thing is understandably paling in comparison to a free smartphone that does everything. Not only that, Google has recently rolled out an app that speaks turn-by-turn directions out loud, which it plans on including on its Android phones (such as the Samsung Moment and the T-Mobile G1).
Tech analysts are conjecturing that the likes of TomTom and Garmin are going to have to start branching out or face extinction. So far, it seems that they are doing just that. For example, Garmin now has its own phone on AT&T called the Garmin Nuvifone. Other GPS manufacturers are adding more features to their devices, including traffic reports and WiFi connectivity.
In the best case scenario, the GPS manufacturers will find a way to reinvent themselves, much like Apple reinvented the iPod when cell phones like the LG Chocolate and the Motorola ROKR and started doubling as media players. In the tech world, it’s not so much a dog eat dog world, as it is a world where old dogs need to learn new tricks, otherwise the masses will gravitate to more flashy dog and pony shows (I know, I know, too many dog idioms).
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May 12th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
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August 3rd, 2011 at 9:57 am
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