In its newly published location systems and platforms forecasts survey, ABI Research (News - Alert) predicts that the global number of navigation shipments across all form factors is expected to grow from more than 100 million in 2010 to 283 million in 2015.

The report provides forecasts for in-dash, portable and handset-based navigation systems and solutions for each region. It includes navigation hardware and software shipments and revenue and market penetration levels.

With more than 10 million handsets sold globally in Q2 2010 boosting the popularity of off-board navigation, Nokia (News - Alert) is slowly losing market share in the smartphone segment and Android handset sales are surging, claims the research. Toward the end of the forecast timeframe almost all handset-based navigation solutions will be free or at least subsidized by the handset price or carrier data plan, states the report.

In a press release, ABI Research Practice Director, Dominique Bonte, commented, “The launches of free turn-by-turn off-board navigation by Google (News - Alert) on Android handsets in the United States in 2009 and in some European countries in 2010, and on-board navigation globally by Nokia in January 2010, are driving the popularity of handset-based navigation and putting additional pressure on the price of on-board and off-board navigation solutions offered by other vendors.”

As providers of customized software for carriers and in-dash navigation systems for car OEMs, there might still be a profitable future for some navigation vendors, states the report. Also, PND vendors TomTom and to a lesser extent Garmin (News - Alert) are eager to partner with automotive manufacturers to develop low-cost factory-installed navigation since growth in the personal navigation device market has all but melted away, at least in developed regions, claims the survey.

In a recently published research, the company announced that the global number of automotive application users will grow from just under 1.4 million in 2010 to more than 28 million in 2015. The research stated that automotive telematics and infotainment applications are quickly gaining momentum, with major automotive players such as Ford and Continental having announced open platforms and application stores.

In related news, ABI Research has released set top box market data study that covers STB shipments for digital cable, digital satellite, digital terrestrial TV - both pay services and free-to-air, and IPTV (News - Alert). According to its latest study, it appears that the worldwide market for digital STB and FTA or Free-to-air satellite boxes is rapidly gaining momentum increasing from 205 million in 2010 to 226 million in 2015. While shipments of STB and FTA in North America and Western Europe are declining, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Eastern Europe are witnessing significant growth. China seems to be right on top with a growth of 10 percent CAGR.