Here's a little secret about location technology: It's rapidly becoming a commodity, especially with the explosive growth of GPS (Global Positioning System) for consumer devices. And while location data is valuable, any future for location services and applications will depend upon the wireless Internet. These services are destined to blossom with everything from finding the cheapest gas to the safest neighborhoods for house hunting to -- and it’s GPS-enabled now -- the location of sex offenders.
The handwriting is on the wall: GPS is already a commodity item. Where it didn't exist in U.S. cellular phones a few years ago, today almost every phone manufacturer offers at least one GPS handset. When it comes to other consumer devices, GPS soon will become almost as common a feature as CD players in vehicles and cameras in phones.
The market research firm In-Stat forecasts worldwide shipments of personal navigation devices will rise from 30.7 million in 2007 to 68 million in 2012. Research firm Databeans predicts the GPS chipset market will increase from $729 million in 2008 to $1.3 billion in 2013, sparked in large part by cellular growth.
Faced with this growth, GPS vendors will need wireless Internet to differentiate their offerings.
There is already a poster child for the new breed of GPS business -- Dash Navigation. A few months ago, this company began selling its Dash Express, a vehicle navigation box that combines real-time telemetry, Internet access, and social networking via integrated WiFi and GSM GPRS.
Dash correlates and transmits real-time traffic information to the Express via embedded road sensors. It also uses "crowd sourcing," automatically uploading traffic speeds from individual Express devices to help customers find the fastest routes to their destinations.
Crowd sourcing and social networking are crucial to the success of Dash Express. Users may employ Yahoo Local on the Express to search for restaurants, coffee shops, etc. For a monthly subscription fee of $10 to $13, they can also transmit their own searches or those of other users to their Express devices. And a new API allows developers to post and share applications: Dave Zatz, Dash's manager of online communications (and a well known blogger), tells me some 30 applications are available. These include Twittering from the Express, playing a game of “claiming” your locations, and even finding the locations of registered sex offenders.
Only the Beginning This is just the start of emerging next-generation GPS services. There are other examples: Today, using a cellphone you can view traffic in real time from 270 cameras located at strategic traffic points in Los Angeles, using the services of 3rd Dimension. Why couldn’t you also view traffic cameras on your in-vehicle GPS device?
What if businesses and consumers created audio and video files describing places to visit (or avoid) that could be wirelessly downloaded to a GPS device? In addition, what if photos and videos from digital cameras, camcorders, and camera phones could be integrated into GPS databases, so you’d be able to see thousands of locations -- inside and out -- from around the country?
For safety and convenience, GPS devices should incorporate advanced voice recognition software to verbally search for information and download data.
Here’s a service I’d love: Have you ever driven along a seemingly never-ending road in the middle of nowhere and wondered: Am I really going in the right direction? What if you could download an “encouragement” audio or video file that would say something like: “For 27 miles you’re not going to see much of anything except a two-lane road and a few trees. At mile 29 you should see a deserted red barn on the right. At mile 33 you’ll see 'Bill’s Insect and Reptile Zoo' on the left. Keep up the good work. You’re driving in the right direction!”
On the downside, some advanced services could significantly increase hardware prices. Downloading large files will require more expensive 3G cellular data technology, although you could download files at free WiFi hotspots or transfer them from your computer to the GPS device with a memory card, USB cable, or Bluetooth.
Bottom line? Twenty years ago, GPS systems cost tens of thousands of dollars and could fit only in a military transport vehicle. Today, GPS chips are a few dollars. GPS will become omnipresent, and the potential for new applications is staggering.
I have been frustrated by the slowness of the rollout of GPS in phones. At least one, perhaps two, cellular operators were fined by the Federal Communications Commission because they didn't meet the deadline for implementing E911 service based on location technologies.
One reason was technological, but another reason was financial. Cellular operators didn't want to implement E911 location -- security and safey considerations be damned! -- if they couldn't find a way to make money with location services.
Some cellular operators also have crippled GPS capabilities (yes, you Verizon) that are included in phones by the manufacturers. Until the cellular operator (hello, Verizon) could offer its own subscription GPS mapping service, it didn't want to allow customers to use other services.
The good news is GPS in phones will increase dramatically, as I wrote. Also, the iPhone's GPS will spark -- and is sparking -- a large number of location-enabled applications. So we will indeed see an explosion of GPS-based services.
This wireless 'revolution' seems to be unfolding sooo slow, yet so fast at the same time. Wireless consumer products have progressed exponentially where it is visible, but 'gps enabled' phones have been out for years (at least 5 I say) with only the near empty emergency 911 service available as a function (am I right?). What is the hold up? Based on the gps navigation devices doubling by 2012 forecast mentioned, is it safe to assume that by 2014 wireless web will have an exploding number of apps utilizing gps? Walmart's rfid mandate for shipped pallets seems to have had minimal effect also - I thought for sure that the mandate would ignite a fire underneath rfid deployment. I'm hoping to be able to use my phone to get the correct price on produce at the grocery stores soon at the minimum.
I registered directionsNow.com in 2002 in hopes of taking part in this (wireless api's were scarce back then I think and Pinpoint.com was a lone cheerleader)..however directionsNow has only been able to take notes from the side lines with hopes of getting in the game...I'm now considering adding wiki based directions for everything from how to assemble your age old bassinet to aggregated directions for products from the web in the interim for the parked domain.
HA, I just got the 'pun' for Open Season for wirelss bugginess or something like that, hehe. Great writing! argh, my left pinky just went numb, me thinks I'm getting carpul tunnel(sp?).
Hi Mr. Roques,
It's not a problem with technology. Cellular base stations can be placed anywhere.
It's a question of finances and politics of allowing more cellular coverage.
I *think* AT&T has done something in that matter - my roommate can keep his conversations a little further in the escalator.
I don't know why NYC (where I am now) and some service provider hasn't figured out a way to extend their coverage in the subway. Seems like half my day is "wasted" waiting for the train, or on the train.
At least Verizon Wireless has the best national coverage and its customer service is better than most except for T-Mobile's.
Being able to use Verizon on the Metro is an advantage -- except that eveyone screams into their phnes because of the noise! All cellular operators should offer Metro coverage.
Completely agree. I use my desktop because of the lack of a better mobile option - tied to a 2-yr contract in VZ with a lousy cell phone ... you know, living on a student budget! but hey, at least I get signal on the DC subway! take that iPhone users! HA!
It's nice that I'm not the only one who uses Google's street view to help me find where I'm going. I, too, generally use it on my computer. However, with the wider-screen phones, such as the N95, iPhone and others -- combined with 3G or Wi-Fi -- street view on a phone is becoming an increasingly viable service.
Arguably, it is even more useful on a phone than on a computer because you're more likely to use it when you're driving or walking around than remembering what you saw at home or in your office on the computer.
Hi Alvaro, nice concept, but Immersive Media was the company that gave Google their street view images (not anymore I think).
Up until now I had used the street view to see how the place looks like before getting there (and always from my desktop)... but with the bandwidth increase, we can see how many of those services start (continue?) to go mobile.
That immersive media is fascinating. Perhaps it's worth me investigating as a possible column. I am exploring the wireless integration of the physicial with the virtual world. I feel another column in the works!
We're already seeing a form of immersive video used by hotels that allow you to view a room and other areas of the hotel in 360 degrees. But it's rather primitive. The future is a more connected environment for "walking" around the hotel. Of course, this would be great for many tourist attractions, as well as for a new world of educational tools.
I have no doubt that the future includes immersive videos where we are able to experience places and events in increasingly realistic virtual environments, whether it's via our phone, GPS receiver, computer screen or our wall-sized projection. (I use two computer screens and am thinking seriously about adding a third, but I would need a longer desk/table!)
By the way, work is underway to place cameras on city buses for checking traffic in real time as well as video recording cars that are illegally parked. Taxis are an excellent way of creating mesh networks that upload data to centralized databases that correlate other relevant data which can be viewed on portable devices.
Well, since i have been focusing on the cons of the GPS, let's now free a little bit the imagination:
portable GPS with a decent sized screen + google maps + street view + immersive media + high speed wireless internet access = Virtual Driving. You would be able to be there before even needing to go there.
Is there parking available? go look. is there a scenic route? check it out to see if it is worth to deviate from the interstate road. Everything on the fly.
Cameras could be installed on taxis in order to have updated content on a daily basis (and even more, check out the places at different times of the day, at different time of the year).
Of course, until we get some sort of assited driving, this may be too many distraction for the driver, but a nice pastime for the passengers.
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