According to 12 Volt News, WSJ predicts that sales for in-vehicle navigation systems will exceed 3.3 million units this year with the CEA says that sales of aftermarket devices leaped to triple digit numbers in 2006 with more than 2.2 million new units sold.
Moreover, an online survey conducted by the latter organization shows that 24 percent of online consumers intend to purchase a GPS device within the next year and will spend an average of $410. This could result in sales of $4.1 billion in 2007.
The surge in sales of portable units is being credited to the drastic reduce in price. Portable GPS devices cost about $550 in 2003. They sold for $396 a unit in 2006. The influx of new GPS systems entering the market from well-known brands including Alpine, Audiovox, Clarion, JVC, Panasonic, and Sony could be the reason: more products means more competition and, usually, lower prices. (Pictured is the Clarion Nice430.)
Navigation systems, according to Ward's Auto, were offered as an option in over a million vehicles sold in the United States last year. However, pundits say that sales of portable units will probably outnumber sales of built-in units by more than two to one this year.