Mio Brings Connected Local Search To New Pnds In Europe

Yesterday, at the CEBIT trade show in Germany, Mio unveiled its new European range Mio Moov with three products Moov 370, Moov 330, Moov 200 (Moov 330 and Moov 200 are available with one country map or full European maps). Both the Moov 370 (€279.99) and the Moov 330 (€229.99 for Europe or €179.99 for one region) offer Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free phone calls and the option to perform a local search via the mobile phone (with a data plan). Mio has set up partnerships with local mobile search providers in key European countries to enable this “MioMore” service. Users of the Moov 200 ((€179.99 for Europe or €149.99 for one region) will have the possibility to search online from their desktop and transfer the POIs via USB to their device.

The Moov products also feature a new software, legacy of the Navman acquisition last year. Previously known as SmartST, this navigation software now integrates 1,000 3D city landmarks from Tele Atlas. These new PNDs will be available across Europe in April.

Exit Nav N Go
As a result of using the “Navman” software, the company will be doing significant savings, the Nav N Go software license costing the company an estimated $5 to $8 per unit. Obviously this is not good news for Nav N Go. Mio is its biggest customer, accounting for around 15% of its revenue as Nav N Go CEO, Leon van De Pas, told GPS Business News in January.

However the Nav N Go software is still used by Mio today for its upper end product range that features navigation with 3D buildings in addition to 3D landmarks. Mio declined to comment on its software plans for this product range moving forward, but one might expect the Mio software team based in New Zealand to be working on a full 3D software that could replace the Nav N Go solution.

North American market
However the new products announced at CEBIT are not planned to be launched in North America. Other products will be available in the United States: Moov 200, 210, 300 and 310 with 3.5 to 4.3 inches screen sizes and prices from $179,95 to $249.95. Mio expects them to be available on the shelves in six weeks from now.

But none of these products feature Bluetooth and the connected local search option. Kiyoshi Hamai, director of sales and product management at Mio in the United States said to GPS Business News today: “what we have seen so far from our U.S. customers is that they have more basic needs than in Europe. The need for more advanced features will come overtime, but today the bulk of our sales is really in the entry level. The U.S. market is still two to three years behind Europe in terms of market maturity.”