Magnetic Sensors for Cell Phone E-Compasses on Huge Growth

Following the emergence of navigation function as a must-have feature in cell phones, magnetic sensors for electronic compasses are set to boom in the next five years, says iSuppli.

According to the market research firm, total shipments of magnetic sensors will rise dramatically from 8.7 million units in 2008 to 540.7 million units in 2013. The growth to be generated this year will be particularly impressive, with the shipments jumping nearly tenfold to more than 80 million units.

iSuppli believes the market for electronic compasses and magnetometers "has entered a phase of fast growth". This is, first of all, because of high consumer interest driven by some "high-visibility platforms" such as the iPhone OS and the fast-growing Android operating system. Secondly, the extremely low price of 3-axis magnetometers (US$1) makes them affordable to be embedded in non-smartphones as well. All these help to create great opportunities for the technology.

Electronic compasses embedded in cell phones are first seen in a NEC handset back in 2003. And now, they can be found in many popular cell phones on the market to support GPS-based navigation capability. They include the built-in electronic compass in Apple’s iPhone 3G S, the turn-by-turn directions in Motorola Droid and the digital compass in HTC Droid Eris.

Equipped with GPS functionality, these smartphones and other features phones have been showing rapid growth in the recent years. Global shipments of these mobile devices are expected to triple to 629.6 million units in 2013, compared with the 219.9 million units sold in 2008. While cell phones are rising as the primary navigation platform, personal navigation assistants (PNAs), on the contrary, are undergoing slow growth with the earlier-than-expected arrival of their maturity stage.

If you own one of the compass-equipped handsets, it is better for you not to choose a case with a magnetic closure, because it may affect the reliability of the built-in compass. Instead, you may choose a case with a Velcro closing flap or use a swivel holster to secure your phone while ensuring accessibility.

Tags: iPhone Accessories, Apple iPhone 3G S Accessories, Motorola Accessories, Motorola DROID (A855) Accessories, HTC Accessories, Cellular Case, Belt Clip / Holster