Broadcom Tops New GPS IC Vendor Matrix Ranking

Broadcom has been ranked at the top of the latest Vendor Matrix released by ABI Research.

Atheros Communications and NXP Semiconductors claimed the second and third spots in the company’s new evaluation of worldwide GPS integrated circuit vendors.

The Vendor Matrix is an analytical tool developed by ABI Research to provide a clear understanding of vendors’ positions in specific markets.

Vendors are assessed by ABI Research on the important parameters of “innovation” and “implementation” across several criteria unique to each vendor matrix.

Principal analyst Dominique Bonte comments, “Following the acquisition of fabless GPS-specific manufacturer Global Locate last year, Broadcom became the first GPS chipset vendor with a hosted A-GPS solution and a Wide Area Reference Network for the provision of GPS assistance data. Broadcom’s experience in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, FM radio, and GPS technology puts the company in a good position to compete in the anticipated multiple-RF integrated GPS solutions market, with integrated Bluetooth/GPS chipsets expected to be available in 2009. Broadcom is also the supplier of the GPS-chipset in the new 3G iPhone.”

Following the acquisition of GPS IC manufacturer u-Nav Microelectronics in December 2007, Atheros plans to develop integrated single-die RF solutions that will combine Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

In December 2007, NXP acquired fabless GPS chips manufacturer GloNav in order to enter the hardwired GPS solutions market, planning to target the 3G mobile phone segment, as well as PNDs.

For this particular matrix, under "innovation," ABI Research examined the products multiple RF integration, the firms’ RF IC solutions, IC solutions, and Single-Chip Solutions; also evaluated were the products’ Wireless Assistance Data Support (A-GPS) and their Satellite-Based Augmentation System Support (SBAS) (Support for EGNOS and WAAS).



Under "implementation," ABI Research scrutinized the following criteria: market share; consumer market focus; professional, industrial, and military market focus, whether the vendors are fabricators (as opposed to fabless) and their key customer wins.

To view a list of the “top ten” firms in this Vendor Matrix, please visit GPS Integrated Circuit Manufacturer Vendor Matrix. Registration on the ABI Research website (free) is required. Access to the rankings and profiles of all companies surveyed is available to clients of ABI Research.