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The search giant has a history of launching free services supported by advertising, and subsequent iterations of Google's mapping program will likely have advertising. But Google is also able to cut costs on a service like this because it is simply less costly for Google, which already has the mapping data to support a directional service. Other companies have to fund comprehensive mapping tools themselves, but Google has much of the infortmation from other products. The company is ending a licensing agreement with map provider <a href="http://topics.forbes.com/Tele%20Atlas">Tele Atlas</a>, which charges a fee for each person that accesses its data. It seems that Google now has enough information to go it alone. Mobile mapping services like Google's have been cutting into the profit margin of companies like Garmin and TomTom, but the GPS devices have been priced according to the notion that people are willing to pay for their functionality and reliability. As Google amps up its product that advantage is drifting away. (And quickly. Garmin's stock dropped 11% on Google's news today.) Google's new product will have street and satellite views and search-driven voice controls. Also, users who don't have a street address or name can give Google identifying information they do have and the service will give them address suggestions. According to <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/forrester-research-inc/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More information about Forrester Research Incorporated">Forrester Research</a>, 21% of American adults own a personal navigation device, and that market is expected to continue growing at 33% a year for the next five years. But Forrester also says that by 2013, phone-based navigation systems will dominate the market. And navigational companies have been fighting back in the mobile space. In 2008, Garmin announced it would create its own mobile device. That product, the <a href="http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2606480/">Garmin Nuviphone G60</a> from AT&T, is more expensive than an iPhone at $299.99 (with rebates). And features like traffic updates, weather, movie times and gas prices require an extra $5.99 a month subscription. Navigational software companies have also learned to work with mobile devices, but the price point has remained high. Garmin has a mobile product (including Google Map connectivity) that comes "as low as $99.99," while TomTom recently developed an iPhone app and related <a href="http://www.9to5mac.com/tomtom-us-apple-store">car mount</a> at the same price point. Research in Motion's Gokivo iPhone app costs $4.99 plus a $10 monthly subscription, coming out around $120 a year. Mobile navigation companies may quickly have to change their business models if they want to compete with Google, but even that will be difficult. Google can fund its entry into the market with advertising down the line, and it is miles ahead of any small company when it comes to that. For now, navigational companies are hoping that reliability and accessability will beat off free products from Google and other mobile competitors. Steve Andler, vice president of marketing at the wireless navigation company Networks In Motion, tells <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/23/android-navigation-internet-technology-wireless-google.html">Forbes</a> that the mobile market is different from the Internet, where "everything's free and always in beta. People are willing to pay a premium to have something work all the time on their phones." But are they willing to pay a $99 premium? Unlikely. And as Google perfects its service, the utility of that arguement will continue to dwindle. Image: <a href="http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/index.html#p=default">Google</a>

The search giant has a history of launching free services supported by advertising, and subsequent iterations of Google's mapping program will likely have advertising. But Google is also able to cut costs on a service like this because it is simply less costly for Google, which already has the mapping data to support a directional service. Other companies have to fund comprehensive mapping tools themselves, but Google has much of the infortmation from other products. The company is ending a licensing agreement with map provider <a href="http://topics.forbes.com/Tele%20Atlas">Tele Atlas</a>, which charges a fee for each person that accesses its data. It seems that Google now has enough information to go it alone. Mobile mapping services like Google's have been cutting into the profit margin of companies like Garmin and TomTom, but the GPS devices have been priced according to the notion that people are willing to pay for their functionality and reliability. As Google amps up its product that advantage is drifting away. (And quickly. Garmin's stock dropped 11% on Google's news today.) Google's new product will have street and satellite views and search-driven voice controls. Also, users who don't have a street address or name can give Google identifying information they do have and the service will give them address suggestions. According to <a title="More information about Forrester Research Incorporated" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/forrester-research-inc/index.html?inline=nyt-org">Forrester Research</a>, 21% of American adults own a personal navigation device, and that market is expected to continue growing at 33% a year for the next five years. But Forrester also says that by 2013, phone-based navigation systems will dominate the market. And navigational companies have been fighting back in the mobile space. In 2008, Garmin announced it would create its own mobile device. That product, the <a href="http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2606480/">Garmin Nuviphone G60</a> from AT&T, is more expensive than an iPhone at $299.99 (with rebates). And features like traffic updates, weather, movie times and gas prices require an extra $5.99 a month subscription. Navigational software companies have also learned to work with mobile devices, but the price point has remained high. Garmin has a mobile product (including Google Map connectivity) that comes "as low as $99.99," while TomTom recently developed an iPhone app and related <a href="http://www.9to5mac.com/tomtom-us-apple-store">car mount</a> at the same price point. Research in Motion's Gokivo iPhone app costs $4.99 plus a $10 monthly subscription, coming out around $120 a year. Mobile navigation companies may quickly have to change their business models if they want to compete with Google, but even that will be difficult. Google can fund its entry into the market with advertising down the line, and it is miles ahead of any small company when it comes to that. For now, navigational companies are hoping that reliability and accessability will beat off free products from Google and other mobile competitors. Steve Andler, vice president of marketing at the wireless navigation company Networks In Motion, tells <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/23/android-navigation-internet-technology-wireless-google.html">Forbes</a> that the mobile market is different from the Internet, where "everything's free and always in beta. People are willing to pay a premium to have something work all the time on their phones." But are they willing to pay a $99 premium? Unlikely. And as Google perfects its service, the utility of that arguement will continue to dwindle.   Image: <a href="http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/index.html#p=default">Google</a>

2009-10-28T16:29:20+00:00

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<img alt="" height="240" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/4052456775_1d47fd4194_m.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 7px;" width="135" /> Mobile navigation systems have been one of the most profitable purveyors of mobile content, with subscribers paying an average of $5 to $10 for mobile GPS access. But <a href="http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/index.html#p=default">Google announced today</a> that it will be launching a free turn-by-turn mobile navigation system next week. And the news ought to have navigation companies worried about their future. Google's system will launch next week on Motorola's Droid phone and will eventually roll out to other phones, including the iPhone. Can GPS companies compete with free?

<img style="float: right; margin: 7px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/4052456775_1d47fd4194_m.jpg" alt="" width="135" height="240" /> Mobile navigation systems have been one of the most profitable purveyors of mobile content, with subscribers paying an average of $5 to $10 for mobile GPS access. But <a href="http://www.google.com/mobile/navigation/index.html#p=default">Google announced today</a> that it will be launching a free turn-by-turn mobile navigation system next week. And the news ought to have navigation companies worried about their future. Google's system will launch next week on Motorola's Droid phone and will eventually roll out to other phones, including the iPhone. Can GPS companies compete with free?

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Econsultancy has published a <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/mobile-marketing-buyers-guide">Mobile Marketing Buyer's Guide </a>which is aimed at those who are investigating the market for mobile marketing platforms, with profiles of 14 leading suppliers and an analysis of market trends. See also our <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/mobile-statistics">Mobile Statistics Compendium</a> for data, facts and charts relating to mobile.

Google is about to teach GPS companies the pain of free false

2009-10-28T19:28:14+00:00

google-takes-the-bottom-out-of-the-gps-market

2009-10-28T19:28:14+00:00

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