ABI Research Debuts Unique Database of Global Navigation Offerings

OYSTER BAY, N.Y.--April 25, 2006--As part of its updated Automotive Infotainment Research Service, ABI Research has launched a one-of-a-kind database offering for subscribers which provides information on nearly all of the world's navigation offerings. With information on pricing, hardware and features searchable for hundreds of devices, this information should prove most valuable for stakeholders throughout the GPS navigation and LBS industries.

"We developed this database to help our customers truly appreciate the new competition in the navigation space," says Director of Transportation Research, Frank Viquez. "There are vendors out of Taiwan and Korea that are poised to match established vendors such as TomTom and Garmin feature-for-feature, and this fact magnifies the need for a thorough documentation of the industry landscape. Analysts from around the world have contributed to it, and we're proud to offer it to our clients."

Viquez notes that the database is continuously updated and is searchable by identifiers such as feature set, traffic connectivity, embedded OS, hardware characteristics such as RAM and screen size, and even original device manufacturer. Results can be viewed online or exported into spreadsheet format. Viquez adds: "The database is so thorough it seems to function with a swagger."

The latest market update of the service focuses on market migration into the portable navigation segment by traditional consumer electronics and aftermarket vendors. "Big names such as Alpine, Panasonic, Pioneer and Sony realized the popularity of this segment, and demonstrated their own initial offerings in the first quarter of this year," says Dan Benjamin, Principal Analyst for the Transportation practice. "It remains to be seen whether name recognition and current distribution channels will be enough to propel these devices to success. I'm disappointed that they have been unable to differentiate themselves from navigation-specific vendors on features or usability, and have given up precious time-to-market."

The market update also presents analysis of the latest movements in the telematics and infotainment markets. These include such developments as OnStar's attempt to offer a "light" turn-by-turn navigation service, the official product launch of the Microsoft/Fiat collaborative infotainment effort "Blue&Me", and the VW/Audi and Honda demos of their Google-Earth-based navigation systems.

The Automotive Infotainment Research Service addresses several key topics affecting the automotive OEM and aftermarket electronics industries, including the latest consumer electronics trends, developing global entertainment and information delivery technologies and applications, and infotainment and digital rights management integration. To simplify and streamline what is the most detailed pool of quantitative data available, forecast data has been segmented into three distinct databases: Navigation, Telematics, and Entertainment.

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations that support annual research programs, intelligence services and market reports in wireless, automotive, semiconductors, broadband, and energy. For more information please visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.