Never before there were so many portable navigation devices (PND) sold in Europe as in the year 2008. 18.1 million units of such devices were sold last year which was an increase by 3 million units or 20% as compared to the previous year. In Germany this increase amounted to even 22% last year. With 4.4 million PND sold Germany is the most important market for PND in Europe. These are the findings of a study carried out by the association for research on consumption (GfK).
Consumers in Eastern Europe bought 1.5 million devices which was an increase by 600,000 units or almost 50% as compared to the year 2007. In Western Europe the total number of devices purchased reached 16.6 million last year following 14.5 million in 2007 which was an increase by 15%.
In the fourth quarter of 2008, however, demand for PND lost momentum. In the whole of Europe it fell by 4% as compared to the fourth quarter in 2007.
The global market for portable navigation devices amounts to about 40 million units per year. Europe accounts for about 45% of this global volume followed by the USA (41%) and the Asian Pacific region (13%).
Manufacturers of PND in particular invested in technical features of these devices. The volume of PND, for instance, with bigger displays of the 16:9 format sold increased by 14% to 45%. At the same time grew the demand for devices which are able to pronounce street names in an understandable manner. Their volume increased from 3% in 2007 to 13% last year.
Prices for PND remained virtually unchanged over the first three quarters last year. In the fourth quarter, however, prices fell to 170 Euros in Europe which was a decrease by 27% as compared to the fourth quarter in 2007.
For the year 2009 the GfK market researchers predict another increase in demand for PND. For Europe they expect a volume of almost 19 million devices sold. Global demand is expected to rise to approximately 46 million portable navigation devices.
Sales of portable navigation devices (PND)
(Demand for PND in Europe in thousand units)
| Western Europe | 2007 | 2008 |
| Germany | 3,600 | 4,375 |
| Great Britain | 2,770 | 2,997 |
| France | 2,500 | 2,715 |
| Italy | 1,700 | 1,950 |
| Spain | 1,150 | 1,199 |
| The Netherlands | 775 | 927 |
| Belgium | 507 | 535 |
| Sweden | 360 | 351 |
| Denmark | 259 | 383 |
| Switzerland | 220 | 275 |
| Finland | 182 | 243 |
| Portugal | 195 | 254 |
| Austria | 214 | 277 |
| Ireland | 35 | 102 |
| Luxembourg | 23 | 29 |
| Western Europe | 14,490 | 16,612 |
| South and East Europe | ||
| Poland | 220 | 620 |
| Russia | n.a. | 250 |
| Czech Republic | 150 | 210 |
| Greece | 52 | 180 |
| Hungary | 120 | 156 |
| Slovakia | 21 | 37 |
| Total volume Europe | 15,053 | 18,065 |
Source: GfK Retail and Technology Deutschland, 2009
