 Tell us about Navteq’s global footprint. How long have you been in India?
Navteq is the leading location based service (LBS) provider in the world. We are present in 78 countries. After completing three years in India, we are now equipped to provide maps of 480 cities and have about 107 points of interest (PoI). There has been a 730 per cent increase in map coverage from 2009-10. We have about 90 per cent market share in the wireless market.
Does Navteq manufacture its own devices/hardware or do you outsource all that?
We don’t make devices; we have outsourced that part of the business to handset manufacturers. We are just data providers and we have digital maps. Our 1,000 ‘Go Analysts’ – people who drive and take content/pictures - record every minute detail, from pedestrian movements to landmarks, etc.
Tell us something about the technology trends here and abroad.
We see surge in demand for visual content and data that can help a person navigate through a particular area. We offer 3-D maps for the same. We also offer augmented reality, which means that one can see points of interest (PoI) in a particular area by merely pointing the camera. In India, pedestrian applications are of interest to consumers. Indoor mapping, which is basically the maps of shopping malls, can also be of great interest to Indian consumers.
What kind of advertisement revenue are you seeing in this segment?
Ads are picking up. As an application developer, you have more scope of collecting ad revenue. One can also advertise about their hotel chains, shops that offer discounts.
What are the challenges in rural areas?
There is not much to collect in rural areas. It’s more about mapping the big roads and highways.
How often do you update your maps?
We update them on a quarterly basis.
What do you think is the future/scope of LBS in India?
These services have just started in the country. It would take time to pick up. In US there was a federal mandate that every vehicle be fitted with navigation devices, so it became popular. With the rollout of 3G services in India there will be richer graphics, server based applications etc that will enhance the user experience. This should also give a push to these services.
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