With units available for less than $100, global positioning system (GPS) receivers are now affordable to the masses, enabling applications unthinkable just 18 months ago. These emerging applications, plus renewed growth in existing markets, will help propel the global GPS market north of $22 billion (EUR 18.98 billion) by 2008, according to technology market research firm ABI. GPS consists of a cluster of two dozen satellites enabling devices to pinpoint their location within feet of their actual location. New applications on the rise include people tracking, automatic vehicle location (AVL), asset tracking, and recreational use. The industry has been given a further boost by the E911 initiative in the United States, as wireless carriers look to GPS to enable positioning to meet the FCC's mandate.
