According to Berg Insight, more than 100 million mobile subscribers in Europe will use LBS by 2012. Mapping, navigation and search are believed to become the top applications, followed by social networking and tracking. johan.fagerberg@berginsight.com

After years of hype, mobile LBS are finally gaining traction among wireless subscribers. It is driven on the supply side by WCDMA and GSM handsets incorporating GPS capabilities; and also increasing consumer interest in personal navigation functionality. According to ABI Research, LBS revenue is forecast to reach an annual global total of $13.3 billion by 2013, up from an estimated $515 million during 2007. www.reuters.com

According to Global Sources, 61% of mainland China and Taiwan portable GPS manufacturers expect to reduce export quotes in 2008, due fierce price competition.79 percent, expect to decrease their export quotes by as much as 10 %. Despite the price decrease, 77 %of the manufacturers plan to increase production capacity to capitalize on the growing global demand. www2.theiet.org

OnStar has been ranked at the top of the latest Consumer Telematics Vendor Matrix released by ABI Research. BMW and Nissan claimed the second and third spots in this ranking. The Vendor Matrix is an analytical tool developed by ABI Research to provide a clear understanding of vendors’ positions in specific markets. www.gpsbusinessnews.com

Honda Motor Co. and Japanese police has launched a new service for its Internavi navigation system that displays vehiclerelated statistics for the destination zone of the travel. It shows “information on crimes such as car thefts and break-ins, and flags high-risk areas near the driver’s destination, throwing in audio and visual cues. www.gpsbusinessnews.com

SigmaTel, Inc., has released complete processor solution for the portable navigation GPS market, enabling lower system costs for PNDs. It has also integrated analog audio codec and the power management functions. www.gpsbusinessnews.com

NAVTEQ is working with the Broadcaster Traffic Consortium, LLC providing realtime traffic and other location-based information for PNDs and automobile indash systems via HD Radio technology. The technology allows NAVTEQ and the BTC to deliver high-quality, up-tothe- minute information including traffic flow and points of interest to consumers.

Symbian Limited, has announced Symbian SQL and an advanced LBS architecture – two new technologies that herald the next generation of mobile computing. It will include advanced desktop and positioning technologies in its portfolio. Both the technologies will help developing handsets that handle very large amounts of data, and which provide users with relevant information based on their current location, in tune with consumer demand. www.allaboutsymbian.com/news.

AT&T launched the BlackBerry Pearl 8110 with built-in GPS capabilities GPS support allows AT&T Navigator to provide users turn-by-turn voice and on-screen directions with moving 3D maps. It also alerts users through voice and on-screen prompts to traffic slowdowns and host of other options. www.smartphonetoday.com

Sony Ericsson released twonew HSDPA phones - the clamshell style Z780 and the bar style G502. The Z780 is a tri-band 3G, UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900/2100 and GSM/ GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 phone while the G502 is UMTS/HSDPA 2100 and GSM/GPRS/EDGE 900/1800/1900. Both phones come with Google Maps for Mobile. www.unwir3d.com www.unwir3d.com

RFID Global Solution, Inc. is currently implementing an RFID-enabled asset tracking system for The Boeing Company at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It uses GlobalView ™ real-time location tracking software to monitor the whereabouts of both critical assets and components across pre-defined areas of the space center. www.rfidgs.com

Researchers from the ETH Zurich breached the iPhone’s/iPod’s Wi-Fi positioning system and found that the technology is vulnerable to location spoofing. The lack of a GPS module in the first generation iPhone was a surprise to some, given the fact that the device comes with a fantastic Google Maps integration. Apple was able to almost fix this problem by rolling out support for Skyhook’s WiFi Positioning System with a software update, but if you ever had doubts that this alternative positioning system is not as reliable as GPS, your doubts are now confirmed. www.tgdaily.com

Now Samsung mobile phones will have Garmin’s turn-by-turn, voice-prompted navigation. It is based on Garmin Mobile™ XT navigation software, and are expected to be available in Europe and other parts of the world in several months wwwww8.garmin.com

Nokia, has recently unveiled Nokia 6600 Fold, Nokia 6600 Slide and Nokia 3600 Slide – Along with other high end features the 6600 slide is also integrated with Nokia Maps and optional Bluetooth GPS module. http://infotech.indiatimes.com http://infotech.indiatimes.com

Researchers from the ETH Zurich breached the iPhone’s/iPod’s Wi-Fi positioning system and found that the technology is vulnerable to location spoofing. The lack of a GPS module in the first generation iPhone was a surprise to some, given the fact that the device comes with a fantastic Google Maps integration. Apple was able to almost fix this problem by rolling out support for Skyhook’s WiFi Positioning System with a software update, but if you ever had doubts

India is setting up a satellite-based information system to identify and track ships, bolstering maritime security along the country’s coast and leading to faster search and rescue of distressed vessels. This will bring India in line with latest guidelines of the Safety of Life at Sea (Solas) convention administered by global regulator International Maritime Organization (IMO).

India, a signatory to Solas, expects the tracking system—long-range identification and tracking of ships, or LITS—to be in place by the first week of November. Antrix Corp., the commercial arm of the country’s space agency Indian Space Research Organisation, is implementing the system for the directorate general of shipping. LITS would be integrated with future land-based vesseltracking systems, including that of the Coast Guard and the Navy. The system would come up in Mumbai with a remote data centre for disaster recovery in New Delhi. It would track more than 6,000 ships, including passenger vessels and high-speed craft on international voyages using the mobile network of Inmarsat, the global mobile satellite communications firm