Nickname: Chris

Review: Philips was among the first companies that built navigation systems (called Carin, started in mid-90s) but stopped that business a while ago. It's not a new market to them.

Date reviewed: Mar 15, 2007 10:55 AM

Nickname: Interconnect

Review: For GPS either on EU Galeilo, or the US, today most of the developing world map is not digitized. The digitiszation is very slow, and with international donor assistance it is happening. Technology should address the issue of map digitization with a single authority the UN, which should be the repository of the developing countries digitized maps.

Date reviewed: Jun 23, 2006 2:10 PM

Nickname: Ludman

Review: The profit in this market will decrease over time like most of the consumer electronics markets. Nevertheless, the big difference here is that you need hardware, software and map data to buid a GPS system. There are only two global companies in this field: TeleAtlas and Navteq and the barrier for entrance is huge. This duopoly means high profitability - it is unlikely they will fight a price war. As an investor I would jump on their stocks.

Date reviewed: Jun 22, 2006 2:13 PM

Nickname: Rocky

Review: The author seems to be having trouble distinguishing between GPS units, which just tell you where you are (and are therefore of interest to hikers and fisherman as well as motorists) from navigation units of the kind Philips is now offering. A navigation unit is a much more complex device than a mere GPS unit, involving additional sensors (for vehicle direction, for example) and complex algorithms for calculating routes and following the vehicles progress along them. GPS units are already a commodity. Navigation units are a highly competitive market, with widely ranging features and costs creating major distinctions among the offerings.

Date reviewed: Jun 21, 2006 8:26 PM

Nickname: Drew

Review: I can't wait until the GPS becomes a commodity. All the better for the consumer.

Date reviewed: Jun 21, 2006 6:43 PM

Nickname: Ron

Review: I'm suprised how much credit investors give Philips. Remember that Philips also tried to enter the PC and mobile phone market (and failed on both occasions). In my view, it's all about brandnames and the GPS brandnames are Garmin and TomTom. No way that Philips is going to make it. (http://www.beleggen.blogo.nl/?comments/230/16285)

Date reviewed: Jun 21, 2006 3:04 PM