There are 2 major map producers, Telenet and Navteq. One is being bought by Nokia and the other TomTom. Sorry but there are more than 2 manufactures in the market and these 2 producers are working on vertical integration.
I don't see how this is good for the consumer in the long run or helpful for prices. I suspect the maps/software are the most expensive single component of a GPS unit.
Yes, the maps probably cost a lot more than the chipset. But then again with Nokia owning the rights to the maps perhaps Nokia users will have better and cheaper maps with their phones in the future?
@Andrew - the maps could get better, you are right - but they are free for some time now. You can simply download it (application and maps) from the Net. You can also load any maps on-demand from your phone, if you don't mind the data charges of the carrier.
Nokia only charges you if you want voice navigation (route planning is free) or city guides, based on the days you want to use it for. I don't think owning the maps would make that cheaper.
In the Pocket PC/Smartphone world, you can see the cost differential quite directly. Bluetooth GPS units run around $50-$75, while mapping applications using Navteq or TeleAtlas maps run in the $150-$200 range.
Granted, those costs include things other than the GPS chipset & map licensing costs, but it's still indicative of the costs of map data.
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There are 2 major map producers, Telenet and Navteq. One is being bought by Nokia and the other TomTom. Sorry but there are more than 2 manufactures in the market and these 2 producers are working on vertical integration.
I don't see how this is good for the consumer in the long run or helpful for prices. I suspect the maps/software are the most expensive single component of a GPS unit.
Yes, the maps probably cost a lot more than the chipset. But then again with Nokia owning the rights to the maps perhaps Nokia users will have better and cheaper maps with their phones in the future?
@Andrew - the maps could get better, you are right - but they are free for some time now. You can simply download it (application and maps) from the Net. You can also load any maps on-demand from your phone, if you don't mind the data charges of the carrier.
Nokia only charges you if you want voice navigation (route planning is free) or city guides, based on the days you want to use it for. I don't think owning the maps would make that cheaper.
In the Pocket PC/Smartphone world, you can see the cost differential quite directly. Bluetooth GPS units run around $50-$75, while mapping applications using Navteq or TeleAtlas maps run in the $150-$200 range.
Granted, those costs include things other than the GPS chipset & map licensing costs, but it's still indicative of the costs of map data.