If you don’t have a device already equipped with A-GPS and you don’t want to upgrade or spring for a stand-alone unit from the likes of Garmin or TomTom, what do you do? Well, the only other option was a Thomas Guide, really. Now, Sagem Orga, the large smart card maker, has decided to make a SIM card with integrated A-GPS. While it was originally intended for emergency use, handsets without current GPS technology can enjoy the the same benefits as more modern and capable handsets. Whether it will be as accurate as devices already carrying GPS is yet to be determined. We imagine these new SIMs will be huge among carriers as they allow carrier navigation services in countless handsets that aren’t GPS-equipped from the factory. From the Sagem Orga press release:
Sagem Orga and BlueSky Positioning’s new approach incorporates a highly accurate GPS receiver and a proprietary antenna into the SIM card, enabling mobile operators to deploy both legally-mandated and commercial applications quickly and cost-effectively for all mobile devices.
Judging from the press release, it looks like a win-win situation for everyone. Hopefully these new SIM cards will be making their way to local carriers and into handsets soon. Anyone without a GPS-enabled handset excited about this? Anyone still have a handset without GPS?
