By Li Panpan

China’s independent-developed BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) boosts its mobile phone industry by enhancing product performance like meter-level positioning, Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Image source: Xinhua news agency

China Satellite Navigation Office said that mobile phones equipped with the BDS-3 short message communication function would soon be available in the consumer market. It will help expand the function of smartphones and ensure the safety of people’s lives and property. 

BDS has achieved mass consumption represented by its extensive application in smartphones and smart wearable devices, said the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

NDRC statistics showed that in 2021, the number of China-made smartphones with BDS support reached 324 million, accounting for 94.5% of the country’s smartphone shipment in the year.

BDS ground-based augmentation messaging can provide meter-level positioning in smartphones, added the NDRC. And the world’s major chipmakers, including component providers for smartphones, can provide products that widely support BDS.

On July 31, 2020, China officially commissioned BDS, opening the new BDS-3 system to global users.

The BDS can provide diverse services and powerful functions. Globally, the system can provide positioning, navigation and timing, global message communication, and international search and rescue services, Xinhua said.

Besides smartphones, BDS can also be used in medical health, epidemic prevention, remote monitoring, and online service sectors in China.