EL SEGUNDO, CA – Since the start of 2006, awareness of GPS-based navigation technology has exploded into the public consciousness, moving rapidly from the “nice-to-have” to the “must-have” category, says iSuppli Corp.
The current star of the GPS market is the personal navigation device segment, which continues to develop rapidly as vendors cut prices to maintain their share of sales amid tough competition, the firm adds.
However, with PNDs now in the growth phase of their product lifecycle, prices have gone south, with the ASP falling 23% year-over-year in 2006, according to iSuppli. In spite of these dramatic price cuts, the revenue from PNDs is expected to increase by four-fold between 2006 and 2013, with manufacturers keen to get their hands on a $16.5 billion jackpot in 2013, the firm continues.
iSuppli estimates 40 companies now are offering GPS navigation capabilities on a range of products, from PNDs and embedded systems, to smart phones.
The navigation market used to be clearly segmented into two separate product families: embedded systems and PNDs.
The more costly embedded systems offer the benefits of integration with improved positional accuracy on a large dash-mounted display. PNDs offer most of the important navigation features on a device priced for the consumer mass market, iSuppli notes.
“The general interest in GPS solutions has created a third entrant in the market: the smart phone,” said Richard Robinson, principal analyst for automotive electronics at iSuppli. “Smart phones have the capability to offer wireless Internet connectivity, as well as improved positional accuracy in difficult geographic locations using Assisted-GPS.”
iSuppli expects shipments of GPS-enabled mobile handsets to reach 250 million units by 2010, up from more than 70 million units in 2006.
BEIJING – The China Communications Standards Association has created a task force to study an e-waste recycling standard and a mandatory standard for testing detrimental chemicals in electronic products.
The latter will require all electronics communications products manufactured in the region to be tested prior to being available, according to a ChinaTechNews.com report.
The standard will emulate WEEE and RoHS to help China firms maintain components that comply with EU policies, especially companies that export products to Europe.
The study team will help the association supervise environment testing capabilities in China.
WASHINGTON – A lobbying effort began Thursday to curb or halt patent legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representative two weeks ago.
Opponents, namely biotech and pharmaceutical firms, claim the bill would undermine current patent protections and deter investors from taking chances with innovative ideas.
The pending legislation has had support from Microsoft, Cisco, Intel and other big tech firms. It is designed to control excessive litigation; however, detractors claim it would benefit large corporations at the expense of startups.
Inventors and CEOs from more than a dozen companies said they object to the provision that would permit companies to challenge patents after awarded in a subsequent review process.
At a briefing Thursday, several executives said they were concerned that because the esoteric, technical details of patent law are difficult to understand, a bad bill might get through Congress.
Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), a chief sponsor of the House bill, said he would continue to "tweak" provisions when Congress negotiates the details of a final bill.
First, the Senate would have to pass its own bill, which Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), said could happen in the next few weeks.
MUNICH – Dr. Franz Josef Radermacher, head of the Research Institute for Application-Oriented Knowledge Processing, will keynote this year’s Productronica trade show.
Dr. Radermacher, who is also professor of informatics at Ulm University, will speak on the challenges of globalization, information society and sustainable development.
Radermacher, who holds Ph.D.s in mathematics and economics, will analyze current developments in population growth, social tensions in the global society, cultural conflicts and the aggravation of the worldwide ecological situation. He will illustrate the special role of electronics, computers and networks as the nervous system of humanity. He will provide a few future scenarios: the collapse of the biosphere, the "Brazilianization" of society, and the ideal balance. Finally, he will offer a possible initial solution toward implementing an eco-social global economy with the Global Marshall Plan.
He is one of the guiding forces behind the Global Marshall Plan Initiative aimed at harmonizing business interests with the environment, society and culture by creating an ecologically and socially compatible global economy.
SMYRNA, GA – Printed Circuit Design and Manufacture magazine announced that Istvan Novak, Happy Holden, George Dudnikov and Michael Carano have been added to its Editorial Advisory Board.
The Editorial Advisory Board helps guide the editorial content of Printed Circuit Design and Manufacture, providing advice on topics and potential authors. They join current members Eric Bogatin of Be The Signal and Jack Fisher of Interconnect Technology Analysis on the EAB for the upcoming year.
HONG KONG – The peak season for airfreight is off to a slow start, says Trans Global Logistics.
Soft demand for space has been caused by a number of market conditions, including earlier shipping patterns influenced by China's decision to reduce export incentives; early shipping to avoid the perceived threat of a USWC labor disruption; proactive shipping to avoid west coast port congestion, and cautious holiday shopping projections by retailers that expect sub-prime mortgages to be reset at higher interest rates – and higher fuel costs, the company says.
Throughout the Asia-Pacific region, there has been adequate lift to meet demand, and transit times have been consistent with non-peak periods, says president Robert W. Mooney. On the other hand, fuel surcharges remain persistently high and could be poised for another period of upward adjustment, he continues. Some countries, including Korea and Thailand, have seen export volumes tail off in part because of the rising value of their local currencies.
Looking ahead, most carriers in the region are anticipating demand for space to build later this month and carry forward through October, says Mooney.
Specifically, in China, demand from the Shanghai area has been relatively strong since late August, and carriers have been able to impose rate increases, while transit times have degraded somewhat, says Trans Global.
In North Asia, demand for space is down from last year; however, air carriers in Taiwan and Hong Kong have begun imposing rate increases. ICN is reporting a backlog of trans-shipment cargo in the vicinity of 400 to 500 tons, and freight originating from Korea is being uplifted without delay, the company adds.
In the Indian subcontinent, there is sufficient space to meet demand; rates are stable, and transit times are consistent, except via Europe. Importers should keep an eye on the political situation in Pakistan and be mindful of the start of Ramadan, which will impact operations in Muslim countries, says Mooney.
And in Southeast Asia, most markets have adequate space to meet demand, although Vietnam and Malaysia have reported much tighter market conditions. All markets in this region must contend with slightly longer transit times through regional air hubs, according to Trans Global Logistics.
