Despite the price decrease, 77 percent of the surveyed manufacturers plan to increase production capacity in order to capitalize on the growing global demand.

The report quotes a Berg Insight study that forecasts global shipments of portable GPS devices to exceed 30 million units in 2008. Mainland China alone is expected to account for 12.3 million units, or about 40 percent of global shipments.

Report publisher, Mark A. Saunderson, said: "Prices of portable GPS devices have been decreasing by about 20 percent each year for the past few years. That, in combination with the fact that GPS technology and software are becoming more advanced, has lead to the product becoming now more widely accepted by mainstream consumers.

"Growing consumer demand, plus low technology barriers to entry have also attracted a host of new suppliers to the market. We expect price competition to further intensify due to a growing number of suppliers, combined with the fact that GPS-enabled smart phones are also competing in the same space."

The China Sourcing Report: Portable GPS also shows key 2008 manufacturing trends. Among manufacturers interviewed:

- 44 percent plan to add wireless and intelligent features to their products;

- 33 percent plan to enhance product performance;

- 15 percent plan to install better maps and software;

- 5 percent plan to design products that support multimedia files; and

- 3 percent plan to increase memory capacity.

In-factory Interviews, Detailed Supplier Profiles and New Portable GPS Export Models
The 105-page China Sourcing Report: Portable GPS provides proprietary market information from in-person factory visits to 25 manufacturers and interviews with 14 more suppliers. It includes a Product Gallery featuring 113 of the most popular export models, with key specifications and full-color pictures.

The Report's surveys, price trends and supply forecasts aim to help buyers make better-informed purchasing decisions.

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China Sourcing Report: Portable GPS
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