Garmin: Sitting on Hands or Smart Like a Fox?

GPS Business News asks if Garmin is sitting on its hands after Google’s announcement of free navigation for Android. Alas the article is behind a wall, but the question is a good one. (And I’m sure the analysis is, too.)

But I have only public sources to cite and this one is interesting. Steve Chuang writing in Taiwan Economic News suggests Garmin is going for #1 in Taiwan in 2010 by launching three new devices. It’ll try to move from #2 and pass Mio at #1. TomTom is #3. Part of the plan is using “preloaded maps of Taiwan, in a bid to use the self-developed maps to boost its brand recognition with local consumers. ” In the past the company licensed maps from a publishing company, but now is creating the maps itself. Further, “Institutional investors indicated that by focusing more on independently developing PND maps for Taiwan, Garmin is likely to threaten the leader Mio in the market and may outstrip it by the end of this year.”

There are also reports indicating that brand name satnav and white box satnav manufacturers may drop prices to $US69 and $US49 for the holidays to compete with Google.

- Taiwan Economic News
- DigiTimes