iRiver
Reigncom, under its iRiver brand, is a leading manufacturer of Portable Media Players (PMPs) and has long been considered one of the most forward-thinking designers in the industry. They have consistently driven innovation in functionality, performance, and usability - while always focusing on delivering the best solution at the right cost.
iRiver recognized the trends influencing its industry - such as the growing demand for connectivity, the continued expansion of Wi-Fi, and user adoption of maps and navigation applications. Taken together, these trends created a unique opportunity to innovate once again. If they could deliver a high-end multimedia player with a browser, Wi-Fi connectivity and urban / pedestrian navigation, they could deliver a compelling device to their target market - urban youth and young adults.
When iRiver began to evaluate possible solutions to integrate into their PMPs, they realized that adding GPS to the design would add power, memory, hardware, and licensing costs that would drive up the retail price. WPS was an affordable alternative that meant iRiver could deliver the W10 - a truly innovative device - at a price point that made sense for both iRiver and its target market.
Working together, Skyhook and Navteq were able to deliver an integrated package for the W10. Using Navteq's pedestrian-centric Discover Cities mapping and navigation product as the content and WPS as the location engine, W10 users can plot their location, get directions, track their movement, and find relevant point of interest data directly on their MP3 player.
Dubbed the "most interesting thing at CES [Consumer Electronics Show]" in 2007, the W10 has reinforced iRiver's reputation as a leading innovator in the industry.