Navigation capabilities in smartphones expected to grow

Category: Mobile Work Force Tips

New technological developments are helping smartphone users and those interested in integrating smartphones into their business model in increasingly new and exciting ways.

New research from Frost & Sullivan, a marketing consulting and training company, reveals that low-cost navigation and telematics services can help people who use them have greater access to the mass market. In addition, smartphone-interfacing solutions can power compatible automotive navigation throughout North and Latin America.

The "Key Trends and Forecasts for the North American and Latin American Automotive Navigation and Telematics Services Market" report projects the market size for navigation systems in North America to reach 18.7 million units by 2016. By this time, smartphone navigation subscribers should be at 402.2 million and telematics service subscribers installed base to hit 31.6 million.

"Smartphone-based navigation's success is compelling traditional OEMs to change their business models to incorporate smartphone content replication technologies," said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Krishna Jayaraman. "The greater participation of consumer electronics vendors will enable automakers to better provide interfacing solutions to match product innovation."

The improvements in smartphone-based applications and software is opening up opportunities in numerous business sectors, allowing companies to complete work-related tasks in much more efficient ways. From navigation applications that inform mobile workers on the best routes to a certain location, to software that can automate timesheets and streamline scheduling, there are a number of business benefits provided by new software solutions.

As more companies recognize these inherent benefits, the major question becomes whether to invest in smartphones for workers or encourage a bring your own device policy. Many smaller operations that do not have the resources to invest in new equipment for field staff are opting for the latter, allowing employees to use their personal devices to complete work-related tasks. By opting for this strategy, companies are able to focus on funding only the software solution, enabling them to keep their costs down while still gaining access to productivity-boosting automated processes.

Although each company needs to look at its specific needs in order to best determine how best to incorporate smartphone technology, there's little argument that mobile device integration is becoming the standard.