DigitalGlobe to supply satellite imagery for China’s consumer

DigitalGlobe, a leading global content provider of high-resolution earth imagery solutions, today announced it is supplying the digital imagery for enhanced navigation solutions from three Chinese companies: China Mobile, YF International, and Hazens. These developments extend DigitalGlobe’s worldwide lead in the consumer market, where up-to-date imagery can add a new layer of reality to navigation and location based solutions.

The opportunity to supply imagery to China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator with more than 500 million subscribers, is a significant development for the company and for next generation mobile navigation solutions in the region, said DigitalGlobe’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Sales Rafay Khan. “High resolution, regularly refreshed imagery from DigitalGlobe can help China Mobile subscribers get a clearer view of where they are and what is around them. We are excited to deliver a strong foundation for even more useful location-based solutions in one of the world’s most dynamic consumer markets.”

Satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe will be used in China Mobile’s turn-by-turn navigation service, GIS/fleet management service and standalone map viewer offering. The imagery will be coupled with map content from China’s largest navigation map provider, NavInfo, and delivered as an enhanced service to China Mobile subscribers.

DigitalGlobe imagery is also being used by YF International and Hazens in their newest navigation products. YF International is China’s leading personal navigation solution provider. DigitalGlobe imagery will be integrated within the company’s ACCO personal navigation device and the Golden Dolphin aftermarket embedded car navigation system. Hazens is China’s leading PC-based navigation supplier. Its next generation Car Personal Computer features satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe. The solution combines hardware, software and digital imagery in an embedded PC for automotive navigation.

Khan said these imagery-enhanced products answer consumer need for clearer views for navigation and routing across a range of devices and applications. “DigitalGlobe can now help to ensure they have access to imagery, wherever they go.”