GPS-navigators came under press smartphones

In the first half of 2008 were sold in Russia 312 thousand. GPS-devices. The share of smartphones and communicators was among them more than 70%. According to analysts, these devices Autonavigators traditional hard pressure, which, incidentally, is also in no hurry to give up.

Over the last year the Russian market of GPS-devices experienced a major upswing. In 2007, it grew by 250%, and is projected to some experts it will continue for another 2-3 years at the level of 40-50% per year. According SmartMarketing, in the first half of 2008 were sold in Russia 312 thousand. Devices equipped with GPS-module. Among them, the overwhelming share of the so-called occupied WID - Wireless Information Soup, combining into one group communicators, minicomputers, Internet tablets and smartphones. Such devices have been sold about 227 thousand, which changed the alignment of forces in the market.

Experts SmartMarketing, in the top 5 vendors GPS-devices, represented in Russia, includes just 4 producer WID - HTC (27, 6%), E-Ten (20, 5%), Nokia (9, 4%) and Asus (8, 08%). Garmin, a leading manufacturer of classic avtonavigatorov takes only 6, 9%.

Among the suppliers avtonavigatsionnyh devices (PND) Garmin is 25, 1%. Followed Mio (23, 2%), JJ-Connect (16, 9%), Tibo (7, 9%) and Pocket Navigator (6, 5%). According to marketing manager Smartmarketing Svetlana Zavyalova, "the traditional market of GPS-receivers (primarily, PND-devices), felt a strong pressure from the manufacturers of communicators and smartphones equipped with GPS-module».

However, market participants avtonavigatorov in no hurry to agree with the study. Vladimir Zenin, director of marketing for "Navikom", the exclusive distributor of GPS-equipment Garmin, expressed doubts about the accuracy of analytical results. According to him, the Russian market is now developing trend, which began in Europe a year ago: "The share of PND is growing, but only slightly, and the GPS-communicator is growing very rapidly - abroad the consumer is ready to buy and use these devices».

This view is confirmed by Alexander Kazakov, General Director of JSC "Center of Navigation Technologies". According to him, "in the Russian market did initially skewed toward smartphones and communicators. In Europe, the most mass segment - it's still a classic Autonavigators. However, as more and more manufacturers of smartphones and phones embed navigation module into their products in Europe, a growing proportion of integrated solutions. " In Russia, the expert said, the market for navigation was not included in his massive stage.

According Zenina main deterrent to increasing the share of GPS-communicator in Russia has been and remains the price of the device, as well as the complexity of the use of such equipment. "However, Garmin has the second quarter of 2009, plans to present in the Russian market a localized version of the smartphone Nuvifone, to occupy this niche," - said Zenin.

In turn, according to the company HTC, market confrontation between GPS navigator and communicators not - "Each unit has a well-defined area of ​​sales, and the intersection is not more than 20-30%." GPS-functionality is now becoming a necessity of the first level to the final consumer, according to market participants. Thus, the entire line of communicators from E-Ten is equipped with GPS-module is already the default, and, according to Vladimir Lyubzhina, head of RoverPC company RoverComputers, «unlike previous years, when the communicator with GPS was quite expensive and exclusive thing is now more 60% communicators Rover Computers has a GPS, and this percentage has a tendency to increase ».

Meanwhile, suppliers avtonavigatorov suggest that the ratio of PND and GPS-communicator to the end of 2008, equal. In informal conversations, market participants doubt the adequacy of the data obtained SmartMarketing "analysts from the agency did not interview any of a large distribution network, running on GPS-market." In SmartMarketing, in turn, say that their report has the status of "analytical reference", so the accuracy of the quantitative estimates of an average of 76%.

"Until now, Russia has not undertaken an independent study of the market and the existing estimates were derived only for internal research companies GPS-players of the Russian market. For this reason, market valuations may differ 2-3 times ", - says Mikhail Fadeev, an independent analyst. According to him, the market is highly fragmented both in brands and distribution channels, which creates additional difficulties in the calculation.

"In any case, the overall evaluation, this SmartMarketing, reflects an adequate picture of the market. In such circumstances, the winner will be the manufacturer who does not provide an aggressive pricing policy, and will count on the quality of the proposed devices mapping software, "- said Fadeev. So, among the producers of the classic navigators occupy the first places companies using cards from foreign vendors (eg, TeleAtlas is the case with Garmin and Mio), which do not provide sufficient detail and breadth of coverage in the regions of Russia. According to the forecast Smartmarketing was regional sales growth, along with a general decline in prices, the expansion of the range of models and commissioning of related services (primarily "cork" of service) will determine the development of this market in the medium term.