Mobile Devices and Operating Systems: Where are they heading and why does it matter? Speaker: Eric Gakstatter Contributing Editor GPS World Editor - Geospatial Solutions Presented at: Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors Bloomington, MN February 20, 2014 Outline 1. Mobile Device Definition 2. GLONASS status/changes 3. Galileo status/changes 4. SBAS status/changes 5. L5 signal deployment/benefits 6. GNSS technology trends 7. GNSS interference concerns Mobile Device Components Custom apps Data Sensors (GPS, etc.) GIS software platform Windows/Android/iOS Phone/handheld/tablet Connected/not connected Source: Mohamed A. Eleiche University of West Hungary
Mobile Device Landscape Mobile Devices Audience Poll Which type of device do you prefer? 1. Smart phone 2. Industrial handheld 3. Tablet computer (incl. notepad) 4. Notebook computer 5. Depends on the project
Mobile Devices - General Smart phones are becoming more prevalent and powerful. While consumer PDAs (eg. ipaq) have been replaced by smart phones, the market for rugged industrial PDAs has grown and they ve become less expensive. Tablet computers have increased in availability and variety. Screen sizes vary from 7 to 10+ and have become much less expensive. Rugged versions of both handhelds and tablets still a niche. Mobile Device Operating System Wars Windows used to be the de facto standard OS on mobile devices. No reasonable alternative. ios and Google Android have changed that. Android is significantly outselling ios and Windows on mobile devices. Microsoft s Windows Mobile strategy is confusing users. Mobile Device Operating System Wars
Mobile Device Operating System Wars Mobile Device Operating System Wars Why do we care about which operating system our mobile devices are running? It determines which software apps we can use. Mobile Device Operating System Wars -Trimble Terrasync, Leica Smartworx, Topcon TopSurv apps run in Windows. -Esri ArcPad, Carlson SurvCE, TDS SurveyPro run in Windows. -Trimble TerraFlex ecosystem runs in Win/Android/iOS. -Esri Collector for ArcGIS runs in ios and Android. -Most all professional data collection apps still running only in Windows/Windows Mobile.
What s the story with Windows Mobile? Microsoft not supporting new devices with Windows Mobile 6.5. Next gen is called Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5. Runs the same software as Win Mobile 6.5. Smart phones will run Windows Phone 7/8 and will not run Windows Mobile apps. Windows Mobile does not appear to be going away, just changing names. Supporting Win Mobile and WEH until at least 2019. Audience Poll Which Mobile device operating system do you foresee using in the future? 1. Android 2. ios (iphone/ipad) 3. Windows Handheld 4. Windows Phone 5. Other 6. I don t know yet Mobile Device - Trends Smart phones trending away from Windows towards Android and ios, professional apps are slow to migrate away from Windows Mobile. Trending towards larger, hi-res displays. Trending towards being internet connected (GSM, CDMA, Wifi/Mifi). Dedicated industrial handhelds trending up, gaining more momentum. Google claims the tablet computer is the mobile device of the future.
Mobile Device - Trends Cloud vs. Standalone GIS Cloud Apps vs. ArcPad/SurvCE/Terrasync). - Benefits/Limitation of cloud-based apps. - Benefits/Limitations of Standalone. Regardless of cloud or standalone, mobile devices are trending towards connectivity. Reliable connectivity is a challenge. Disconnected mode of operation is a must. Browser-based apps (HTML5) a reality? Mobile Device - Trends Cloud app examples no software installation Gmail, Yahoo Mail Facebook, Twitter Audience Poll In the future, do you think your organization will be using cloud-based mobile apps or standalone mobile apps? 1. Cloud-based 2. Stand-alone 3. I don t know yet
Common Questions Common Questions? Can I Bluetooth my GPS receiver to any mobile device that has Bluetooth capability? Common Questions? Software integration is important to our staff. How do you put multi applications in the field and work together to give the staff all the info they need in the field?
Questions? Audience Questions? Eric Gakstatter Contact Information: egakstatter@gpsworld.com Subscribe to Survey Scene and Geospatial Weekly Newsletters at www.gpsworld.com/newsletters Subscribe to GPS World Magazine at www.gpsworld.com/subscribemag