Xiaomi To Introduce ISRO’s NavIC Technology In Its Smartphones In 2020
Xiaomi smartphones across multiple price points to support ISRO’s NavIC technology supported by some Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets.
Chinese consumer electonics maker Xiaomi Corp. on Tuesday said it will bring Indian Space Research Organisation’s NavIC technology to its smartphones this year.
"We are extremely proud of the sophisticated geo-positioning tech which ISRO has devised, and even more proud to integrate it into several Xiaomi devices,” Manu Jain, managing director of Xiaomi India and global vice president at Xiaomi Corp., said in a statement.
Navigation with Indian Constellation, or NavIC, is a regional geo-positioning system designed by the Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO to provide accurate positioning in India and 1,500 km around the Indian mainland.
Qualcomm Technologies Inc. currently provides NavIC on several of their Snapdragon chipsets. The technology will be made available across multiple Xiaomi smartphones in India in 2020, the company said in a statement.
"Xiaomi has taken this step (incorporating NaviC) to further extend its commitment to Make in India, by bringing in technology developed in India within its smartphones," the company said. "This is the first time a leading smartphone brand has worked with ISRO to bring technology developed within the country to the forefront.”
NavIC comprises seven satellites, three of which are in geostationary orbit over the Indian Ocean and four in geosynchronous orbit and is capable of providing location positioning accuracy better than 20 metres.
Some of the key consumer applications of NavIC for mobile include precise location mapping in remote, difficult to access areas, precise timing, along with visual and voice navigation for drivers among others.