ViaMichelin To Depart PND MarketPlace
Date: Friday, January 11 @ 10:49:59 UTC
Topic:
Black News day. According to a news item on French web-site BusinessMobile.fr, ViaMichelin have decided to leave the PND marketplace and cease production of their own brand navigation devices.
Bizarrely the news item also makes mentions that they may be seeking a third party to continue production of units bearing the ViaMichelin brand with Navigon mooted as one possible business partner. This may simply mean Navigon selling their own brand devices in France under the ViaMichelin brand trading on the name in the fiercely patriotic French marketplace.
ViaMichelin intend to concentrate their future activities on supplying rich content to other manufacturers. as they have access to the ViaMichelin restaurant and other tour guides, they are uniquely well placed to have this option.
ViaMichelin UK were unable to officially confirm the news but have said that there has been a 'shock' for many employees, worsened no doubt by the timing.
Whilst not the biggest manufacturer, ViaMichelin did have a competent product which was improving all the time backed by an enthusiastic team especially here in the UK. It can only be bad news for the PND market as it allows the top two or three to grab an even bigger slice of the market and further stifle innovation.
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