With nearly 200 million people worldwide using GPS devices for positioning and navigation services, the system also generates a revenue of $120 billion a year, according to earlier reports.
Foreseeing the possible potential of China's Compass system, efforts have already started to develop chips that are compatible to both systems, Xiao said.
"The Compass system and the GPS will supplement each other," he said.
Users will be the beneficiaries of such compatibility as they will enjoy a more stable and accurate positioning and navigation service, he said.
But whether the market accepts the Compass system still depends on the chip's price and performance, he said.
The Compass system's developer promises to provide free services to the general public, including positioning with an accuracy of about 10 meters, speed-measurement and time services. A more accurate service will be available to authorized users only, the website reported.
(Source: China Daily)
