GNSS Chipset Shipments to Hit 2.4 Billion by 2029, Fueled by Wearables and High-Precision Applications

Demand for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) chipsets is rising globally, driven by growth in key verticals such as automotive and transportation, consumer electronics, and asset tracking applications. According to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research, global GNSS chipset shipments are projected to grow to 2.4 billion by 2029. China is expected to lead this growth with the highest Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.2% between 2024 and 2029, followed closely by Western Europe at 6.7% and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China) at 5.6%. In contrast, the Middle East and Africa is anticipated to see slower growth, with a CAGR of 2.7%.

"We are seeing a growing demand for consumer electronics, especially in countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand," explains Rachel Kong, Research Analyst at ABI Research. "This is fueled by the rapidly growing middle-class populations and smartphone penetration rates, which are boosting the adoption of GNSS-enabled smartphones, wearables, and tablets. In particular, the Sport & Wearables category – which includes devices such as smartwatches, smart glasses, fitness & wellness trackers, and wearable cameras – is forecast to see the highest CAGR of 13.2% between 2024 and 2029."

Another key technology experiencing rapid growth is GNSS chipsets supporting the E6 band, an emerging GNSS frequency designed for high-precision applications. These chipsets are expected to achieve a strong CAGR of 36.7% between 2024 and 2029, largely driven by high-precision applications such as autonomous driving, aerospace, critical infrastructure monitoring, land surveying, and new location-based services.

With increasing global interoperability and integration of multiple GNSS solutions, worldwide demand for seamless, high-precision navigation continues to rise.

"Manufacturers are more willing to adopt multi-constellation chipsets to support a broader range of applications and geographies," said Kong.

In addition, vendors such as Quectel, Unicore, Trimble, and ComNav Technology are increasingly launching and developing products that support the E6 band. Recent updates, including Trimble's firmware enabling Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) on its devices, and Unicore introducing the UM981 high-precision positioning model, demonstrate the growing traction of this frequency band. Multi-frequency bands are also gaining significance by offering enhanced positioning accuracy, improved signal reliability, and better resistance to interference.

"These bands are already widely used in sectors such as aviation, maritime, and automotive, and their adoption will continue to grow as new use applications emerge and evolve over time," said Kong.

These findings are from ABI Research's Outdoor/Wide Area Location Technologies market data report, part of the company's Space Technologies and Innovation research service, which includes research, data, and ABI Insights.