The number of active users of people-locator services in Europe and N. America is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34 per cent, from 16m in 2011, to reach 70m in 2016, according to a new report from the analyst, Berg Insight. In terms of user numbers, family locator services is the largest segment for people monitoring and safety solutions, based on either GPS-enabled smartphones or dedicated cellular/GPS location devices.

The report notes that many parents are now discovering free and low-cost apps that can leverage a  smartphone’s location-awareness to enable monitoring of family members such as children or the elderly. Growing adoption of smartphones has also enabled rapid uptake of business-oriented location apps, such as workforce management services that can improve operational efficiency in organisations with mobile employees. Industry sectors leading the adoption of workforce management include Construction, Distribution, Healthcare, and companies with extensive field services operations.

Dedicated location devices can be better suited than smartphones for some people location services. Numerous device vendors address the needs of people caring for persons suffering from various medical conditions, such as autism and other cognitive limitations, epilepsy, cardiac problems and diabetes.

Another market for dedicated people tracking devices include systems that assist seniors living at home or in care homes. These systems are usually called telecare systems or social alarms in Europe and Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) in the US. Berg Insight estimates that there are already 5m users of the first-generation social alarms connected to wireline networks in Europe and North America.

“The addressable market for next-generation mobile social alarms is large, as seniors are becoming increasingly active”, said Berg Insight senior analyst, André Malm, senior analyst. He adds that the design of mobile telecare devices is very important since the wearer should not feel embarrassed by having a device that can be perceived as age-defining.

You can download the People Monitoring and Safety Solutions report for free here.

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