The Location Based Applications of tomorrow have been discussed in MetroNum in Bordeaux taking into account the future European GNSS system, Galileo.
On 19th of September the representatives of both indoor and outdoor location solutions met in LBS Show within MetroNum conference to talk about new horizons for mobile location services.
The panel discussion started with the overview of location technologies, from standalone GPS to assisted multi-constellation, followed by presentation of latest products and solutions both for indoor and outdoor environments. Representatives of industry included among others Telit, Nokia Here and Astrium.
Justyna Redelkiewicz from the European GNSS Agency (GSA) presented the results of the recent market analysis on LBS, showing phenomenal growth in number of devices sold globally over the last couple of years. Two billion devices have been shipped worldwide in 2013, five times more than in 2008. The outlook for the market of LBS is very positive with current shipments forecasted to double by 2020.
There are several drivers for this growth. Smartphones, being the main platform used for LBS and followed by tables, are penetrating new regions and age groups, becoming more accessible and better value for money than traditional mobile phones. Location based solutions are fitting perfectly with the contemporary way of life, increased need for mobility and accessing applications “on the go”. Also some disruptive new technologies and applications, e.g. using augmented reality, are further stimulating the market.
Recent technological developments concentrate on improving positioning performance for users without negatively affecting Time to First Fix and battery life. The challenge is to ensure seamless integration of all available location technologies in one device and make it work smoothly in difficult conditions like urban canyons or indoor.
Galileo will contribute to better performance in LBS. Galileo, as a part of a multi-constellation solution, can respond to the need for higher accuracy for some more demanding applications.
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