Tid Bits from TeleAtlas 2007 Full Year Results

It’s all driven by the PND market for TeleAtlas right now…

Overall revenue increased 17%

• Six of the eight leading portable navigation device providers worldwide use Tele Atlas maps.

• PND growth 35% - 14.7 Million map units (bundled with PND sale).

• Map units in PND average selling price was just over 11 euro

• America’s PND revenue grew 136% year over year

• Wireless grew 66% on the backs of customer’s like Google, RIM, Mappy and Wayfinder

• Also helped by selection of Teleatlas to power Google Maps for mobile and Google Earth in Europe

• TomTom was largest customer representing 32% of revenue

• Automotive business saw declines in part due to loss of VW business, although picked up BMW business which should ship in 2008

• Expects 2008 revenue between 375 – 385 euro, versus 308 euro in 2007

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TomTom and Google Maps: Send to GPS

Well it seems that the connected PND is getting closer and closer to reality. TomTom announced that they're working with Google to allow users to send locations to their portable navigation devices through the "send to GPS" feature within Google Maps. Try the video above, it pretty much explains it all. I am sure that no one at TomTom would admit it but they seem to be conceding that so far Google has developed the best method for getting accurate and updated POI data via their multi pronged approach (purchased data + Google Local Business Center + html page scraping patent). If consumers take advantage of this on a regular basis I wonder if TeleAtlas could also be keeping a copy of these POIs for themselves as a tool to help plug holes and fine tune in its own TeleAtlas POI database? If so, TomTom should promote the heck out of this service, with funding from the TeleAtlas product development budget!

On a related note, I am still not sure why this type of process still requires use of the tethered TomTom Home connection. Wouldn't it be better if folks could pass this information around over the air? Say you're trying to find a place to meet up with someone navigating around with a TomTom device, it would be great to pick a place to meet on a Google map and just send to your friends device directly via a wireless connection. I can certainly understand PND manufacturers not wanting to get into the MVNO businesses, but this is the logical next step and with the bluetooth connection already present in so many of these devices, all the parts are already in place. Anyone with any clue as to why this is not yet happening? Whats the hold up to sending map or POI data to PNDs over the air?

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In light of TomTom's recent acquisition of TeleAtlas, the obvious question on everyone's mind is... what about NavTeq. There is a good post over on Seeking Alpha with some speculation on what may be in store for them and the potential winners and losers.
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