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Location-Based Services (LBS)

The integration of accurate positioning information into handheld devices has revolutionised user-based services and applications. Location Based Services (LBS) are now ubiquitous, with an estimated 90% of all smartphone applications relying on GNSS data. These cover a wide variety of fields, ranging from personal navigation, geo-marketing and sports to social networking. In addition, rapidly developing applications such as Augmented/Virtual Reality and gaming will drive the further development of high accuracy and fast positioning information.

Asia-Pacific is the world leader in terms of number of shipped LBS devices. In 2016, almost 1 billion LBS-devices were shipped from the region, accounting for over 50% of the global market. Smartphones represent the dominant LBS-enabled device market, with annual growth of 3.2% forecasted until 2020.

Many GNSS-enabled LBS already use the multi-GNSS functionality of newer smartphones, with this trend predicted to increase with improvements in constellations such as Galileo, Beidou and QZSS. The need for LBS to function in challenging urban landscapes, including between high-rise buildings, will increase the desirability of multi-GNSS solutions, which can access the information of more constellations to compensate for restricted satellite visibility. Other service areas, such as indoor operations, will require increased sensor fusion to achieve location accuracy in all environments.

 

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