GPS accessories

	Fumax offers a GPS car charger that supports 5V 1.5A output and features overcharging and short-circuit protection.

Shenzhen serves as production base for the majority of China's suppliers of different GPS
accessories.

Shenzhen in Guangdong province is piggybacking on its strong supply chain for different electronic products to position itself as a major sourcing center for GPS accessories. Nearly 70 percent of China’s GPS accessory suppliers are based in Guangdong, and most of these companies have their headquarters or sales office in Shenzhen, making the city the center of activity in this product line.

Armed with several decades of experience in developing electronic products, Shenzhen has established a mature supply chain, ranging from electronic components to product design and testing, housing, molding, SMT and assembly. Leveraging advantages in design, manufacture and marketing of electronic products, Shenzhen has grown to become a primary sourcing center for GPS products, and now is expanding its supply of GPS accessories.

GPS accessories in Shenzhen are sold bundled or as giveaways with personal navigation devices (PNDs) or GPS navigation systems. These include power adapters, in-car power chargers, external antennas, A/V cables, USB cables, car suction mounts, cases, standby touch pens and LCD screen protectors.

Many of Shenzhen’s GPS accessory makers also supply mobile phones and accessories. Some companies produce other electronic products and PC peripherals. In general, makers can release two to three new products each month.

Shenzhen makers can offer internal and external antennas for different GPS products. Internal antennas are generally targeted at product manufacturers. External antennas are regarded as accessories and are designed as giveaways and marketed to the premiums sector. Regardless of target market, makers are developing smaller antennas at the same time enhancing housing design and improving performance.

Shenzhen Bohua Electronic Co. Ltd has released a mini GPS antenna, the GAA1575AXDX, which measures 25x25x4mm and weighs less than 100g. The model has 1.5:1 VSWR and 28dBi LNA gain.

Shenzhen Bohua specializes in the design, manufacture and sales of high-frequency wireless receivers and GPS antennas, GPS/GSM combination antennas, Wi-Fi antennas and GPS navigation systems.

Unit prices of external antennas from the company range from $4 to $6, against a minimum order of 400 units. The company forecasts stable prices in the next six months.

Shenzhen Bohua’s customers include Garmin and Mio.

Suppliers of GPS car chargers are concentrating on improving their product molds to enhance the housing designs. Moreover, makers are improving product safety by incorporating overcurrent, overvoltage and
short-circuit protection.

Shenzhen Fumax Technology Co. Ltd provides GPS and mobile phone chargers, adapters and cases. The company started producing GPS car chargers in 2006, and the product line now accounts for about 25 percent of its annual sales. In 2007, the company shipped 1 million GPS car chargers. Fumax predicts sales of its GPS products will remain stable this year.

The GPS car charger from Fumax is suitable for any GPS product. The model supports 10V to 30V AC input voltage, 5V to 12V output voltage and 1A to 2A output current.

Although most of the cable factories in Guangdong are located in Dongguan, USB cables and A/V cables can also be sourced in Shenzhen. Suppliers of cables in Shenzhen produce various devices for use with a slew of consumer electronic, computer and telecom products.

As competition in this line continues to tighten, more makers are shifting to multimedia cables, such as HDMI. However, USB cables continue to abound, and current supply covers USB-to-mini USB and USB A to USB B, with prices ranging from $3 to $5 per unit.

Shenzhen East-Toptech Electronic Technology Co. Ltd specializes in producing HDMI cables, DVI cables, USB cables, network cables and HDMI splitters. East-Toptech maintains an 8000sqm factory that is equipped with auto soldering machines, surface-mount machines and hot-air reflow soldering machines. It operates four assembly lines for USB cables and network cables. East-Toptech has a monthly output of 60,000 USB and HDMI cables.

East-Toptech’s products carry CE, FCC and RoHS certifications.

As many GPS accessory suppliers are armed with years of experience manufacturing mobile phone accessories, many of them offer in-car mounts or holders and cases for GPS devices to take advantage of the similarities in production process, materials and design.

Hong Kong Wexun Electronic Co. Ltd mainly produces mobile phone and PDA accessories, and started GPS product manufacturing only recently. The company now provides GPS cases, car holders and chargers.

Wexun provides OEM and ODM services, which make up 20 percent of the company’s business. The company has a monthly output of 7,000 to 8,000 mobile phone and GPS holders. It exports all of its GPS accessories to Europe and the US. Its GPS holders meet RoHS, CE and FCC standards.