GPS IC makers and distributors will expand their territory in the notebook market as Windows 7 enables built-in GPS platform, according to IC distributors in Taiwan.
Microsoft has recently ordered 1,000 flash drives with built-in GPS chips from Switzerland-based U-blox AG to support software makers develop GPS chip application software, the sources indicated.
U-blox has been cooperating with several Taiwan-based IC distributors to develop Windows 7-platform GPS modules to be built into notebooks, according to U-blox Taiwan country manager Ming Chiang. The market for GPS-integrated notebooks will take off in 2010, with 12- to 13-inch or smaller models being the first to adopt, Chiang said, adding built-in GPS will become a standard feature in small-size notebooks in the future..
GPS modules for notebooks
Photo: Terry Ku, Digitimes, November 2009
Article translated by Meiling Chen
