Based on its recent analysis of the global positioning system (GPS) market, Frost & Sullivan presented u-blox with the 2008 global Frost & Sullivan award for product innovation of the year, in recognition of its technology innovation and ability to satisfy the diverse needs of its customers.
Launched in 2006, the 50-channel u-blox 5 chip and module generation are delivered with a wide range of cutting edge technologies that add value to customer solutions, in addition to providing a considerable reduction in product pricing and size.
“Although the pricing of the u-blox 5 is extremely competitive, the company seems to have no plans to be a price leader, notes Frost & Sullivan industry manager Raman Monga. “Instead, its main objective is to provide high performance and market-leading technologies at low cost, bringing its customers greater value for money.”
“Conventional GPS receivers need a minimum of 18 to 30 seconds after they are switched on to download data from the satellites, and this time depends on the signal quality,” explains Monga. “u-blox 5 products, used in conjunction with u-blox’s AssistNow A-GPS services, cut acquisition times down to 1 second, even in difficult signal conditions.”
u-blox’ AssistNow server stores the satellite data, which users can download for free 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a simple IP connection. The satellite data is valid for up to 14 days, enabling applications with no Internet connectivity to benefit from instant positioning for extended time periods. u-blox also scores high in terms of easy installation and simpler integration. In addition, the product comes with the ability of multiple interfacing depending on the requirement of the customer, which includes USB portability.
“u-blox 5 has been well-accepted in portable devices that include handheld GPS devices such as mobile phones or personal navigation devices (PNDs),” continues Monga. “The product has also been highly successful in the automotive market, in which major car manufacturers are integrating u-blox 5 into several of their automotive product lines.”
Significantly, the company invests almost 15% of its annual sales in R&D, resulting in innovative products. With an R&D centre in Switzerland, u-blox has close ties with ETH, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and also with other universities, and shares the results of work performed in the field of GPS receivers.
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company whose competitive strategy has yielded significant gains in market share during the research period. Often, the recognised company has taken advantage of recent market changes that facilitate the introduction of never-before-seen methods of capturing and solidifying market presence. Alternatively, the recipient may have executed an innovative strategy within the existing competitive landscape, empowering the company to overtake the competition.
In either case, the company captures the attention of the competition, which quickly adjusts in order to protect its own market position. Frost & Sullivan analysts expect such innovations to produce lasting, precedent-setting trends in the industry.
For more information contact Patrick Cairns, Frost & Sullivan, +27 (0)21 680 3274, [email protected], www.frost.com, RF Design, +27 (0)21 555 8400, [email protected], www.rfdesign.co.za
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