TomTom, Garmin developing branded GPS handsets?

Taiwanese handset makers including HTC, Mitac International, E-Ten Information Systems and Gigabyte Communications are all gearing up to introduce their latest GPS-enabled handsets this month, following their respective domestic launches with international rollouts. But Digitimes reports that navigation technology giants TomTom and Garmin are also at work on branded GPS-enabled handsets of their own, developed in partnership with firms including Inventec Appliances, Quanta Computer and Compal Communications. Details are still scarce.

New smartphones on tap for later this year include HTC's TyTN II, E-Ten's X800, Mitac's Mio A702 and Gigabyte's GSmart i350, all four of which run on Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 OS. With the exception of the quad-band GSmart i350, the remaining devices all support HSDPA technology, sources said.

For more on the GPS handsets:
- read this Digitimes article