Marbridge Daily

Google Maps Leads China's Handset Mapping Services

Analysys, 6/11/11

According to Chinese market research firm Analysys International's recent "China Q1 2011 Mobile Map Client Market Survey Report," Google Maps, Chinese digital maps provider AutoNavi (Nasdaq: AMAP), and Nokia's Ovi Maps led the handset mapping client market in terms of active accounts in Q1 of this year.

The report predicted rapid change in the terrain of the market during Q2, noting particularly that Ovi Maps may have a hard time maintaining its position as market share for Symbian terminals (with Ovi Maps pre-installed or available for download) continues to slip, and as Shenzhen-based internet company Tencent (0700.HK) and other companies leverage their advantages in distribution and marketing to rapidly capture more market share.

The report notes that major mobile mapping service operators are aggressively pushing their open APIs to various mobile applications and services, from LBS and mobile SNS to mobile microblogging and mobile group buy.

For purposes of the report, Analysys surveyed online map browsing and search services that could be accessed through mobile clients. The features tested included mobile map browsing, searching by points of interest, search by area, public transit information search, and user location look-up for standard mobile map products such as Google Maps and AutoNavi.

Mapping-related services, such as online mobile navigation and LBS check-in services, were not tested.

"Total accounts" is defined as the number of mobile client accounts that have been logged into and used at least once during Q1 2011.

"Active account" is defined as a mobile client account that has been logged into and used at least once during the given quarter.

Keywords: national statistics Google Maps wireless Nokia market share mobile mapping Ovi AutoNavi AMAP Q1 2011 users mobile application