TomTom Boosts Market Share

By Amy Gilroy On Feb 27 2006 - 8:00am

After only three years in the U.S. market, TomTom said it became the No. 2 mobile navigation brand in the fourth quarter of 2005, according to data from The NPD Group, Port Washington, N.Y.

TomTom said it accounted for 25 percent of U.S. mobile navigation unit sales for the quarter, according to NPD, jumping from a share of only 7 percent in June 2005, when it first entered leading retailers with its TomTom Go 300 and 700. TomTom began selling in the United States in December 2002.

NPD confirmed that unit share for the fourth quarter placed Garmin in the No. 1 slot for mobile navigation, followed sequentially by TomTom, Magellan, Pioneer and Cobra.

Thales Navigation, which owns the Magellan brand, noted that Magellan is the only brand sold in some of the retailers that NPD does not track, according to a spokeswoman. Thales said it believes Magellan's true market position is either No. 1 or 2.