OYSTER BAY, N.Y.-Price points below $100 have made global positioning system receivers affordable to the masses, according to research from ABI.
In fact, demand for GPS applications will help grow the global GPS market to more than $22 billion by 2008, ABI said. ABI expects automotive and asset tracking applications to account for half of the global GPS market by the end of this year and expects those segments to continue to gain market share through 2008. Handset and people-tracking applications are expected to experience the largest growth rate through 2008.
As evidence of GPS becoming more mainstream, Coca-Cola reportedly plans to attach GPS transponders to certain Coke cans for a promotional ploy during next summer’s Olympic Games. Coke drinkers who happen upon GPS-enabled cans will be tracked down by Coke and awarded a prize. The company unveiled plans for a similar promotion, Thrill Seeker, to take place in Australia during the Rugby World Cup finals starting this month.
