Location Of Things Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented, By Location Type (Indoor Location, Outdoor Location), By Application (Mapping & Navigation, Location-based Customer Engagement & Advertising Platform, Location-based Social Media Monitoring, IoT Asset Management, Location Intelligence), By Vertical (BFSI, Defense, Government & Public Utilities, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Industrial Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Retail & E-Commerce, Transportation & Logistics, Others), By Region, By Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 62.67 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	20.78%
Fastest Growing Segment	Outdoor Location
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 194.55 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Location Of Things Market will grow from USD 62.67 Billion in 2025 to USD 194.55 Billion by 2031 at a 20.78% CAGR. The Global Location of Things Market refers to the deployment of location-based capabilities within Internet of Things devices, enabling the real-time tracking, monitoring, and management of physical assets across diverse environments. The primary drivers fueling this market include the critical need for enhanced supply chain visibility, the demand for operational efficiency in logistics, and the rising requirement for asset protection in high-value industries. These fundamental economic necessities are supported by the rapid expansion of Low Power Wide Area Networks which provide the essential connectivity infrastructure. According to the Global mobile Suppliers Association, in 2024, 258 operators had deployed or commercially launched NB-IoT or LTE-M networks across 68 countries, underscoring the widening availability of the connectivity required for mass adoption.

However, the market faces a substantial challenge regarding data privacy and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The continuous collection of precise geolocation data raises significant concerns regarding unauthorized surveillance and the potential for sensitive information breaches. Such security risks can lead to regulatory hurdles and consumer hesitation, thereby slowing the integration of location-intelligence technologies into critical enterprise workflows and personal applications.

Key Market Drivers

Increasing demand for real-time supply chain visibility and asset tracking is fundamentally reshaping the market. Enterprises are rapidly transitioning from passive milestone logging to active, continuous monitoring of goods to mitigate global trade complexities and operational disruptions. This shift is fueling broad investment; according to MHI, March 2025, in the '2025 MHI Annual Industry Report', 55% of supply chain leaders are increasing their supply chain technology and innovation investments. Specifically, this capital is flowing into platforms that offer granular traceability to prevent loss and optimize logistics networks. According to Descartes Systems Group, September 2025, in the '9th Annual Global Transportation Management Benchmark Survey', 80% of respondents plan to increase their transportation management system IT spending, with top priorities focused on visibility and performance management. This surge in investment underscores the critical reliance on location data to maintain competitive service levels.

The rapid proliferation of connected IoT devices and ecosystems serves as the technological foundation expanding location services. As hardware costs decrease, physical assets from industrial machinery to smart city infrastructure become interconnected nodes transmitting precise geospatial data. This scaling of endpoints creates the dense data environment necessary for high-value analytics. According to Ericsson, June 2025, in the 'Ericsson Mobility Report', total cellular IoT connections are expected to reach 4.5 billion at the end of 2025, reflecting the sheer scale of the hardware deployment supporting these ecosystems. This infrastructure growth is critical for enabling the mass adoption of location-intelligence technologies across diverse industrial and urban environments.

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Key Market Challenges

Data privacy and cybersecurity vulnerabilities act as a primary constraint on the growth of the Global Location of Things Market. The capability to track physical assets in real-time generates vast amounts of sensitive geolocation data, which creates significant risks regarding unauthorized surveillance and information theft. When enterprises perceive a heightened probability of data breaches, they frequently delay or cancel the integration of location-intelligence technologies to avoid reputational damage and potential legal liabilities. This hesitation disrupts the adoption cycle, preventing the technology from becoming a standard operational component across critical industries.

Moreover, the rising cost of securing these networks against sophisticated threats negatively impacts the return on investment for adopters. Companies must allocate substantial resources to regulatory compliance and defensive infrastructure, which limits the budget available for scaling their IoT deployments. This environment of elevated risk is substantiated by industry data; according to the IoT M2M Council, in 2024, the number of connected devices with identified vulnerabilities increased by 136 percent compared to the previous year. This escalating threat landscape directly reinforces corporate reluctance, thereby dampening the overall revenue potential and expansion rate of the market.

Key Market Trends

The Rise of Location-Based Augmented Reality Applications is fundamentally altering how workforce teams interact with physical environments by overlaying precise geospatial data directly onto real-world views. This convergence enables field technicians and warehouse staff to visualize optimal navigation paths and hidden asset locations in real-time, thereby drastically reducing search times and operational errors in complex facilities. Unlike passive tracking dashboards, this technology creates an immersive interface that guides manual tasks with high precision, bridging the gap between digital records and physical reality. According to Zebra Technologies, February 2025, in the '2025 Warehousing Vision Study', 63% of warehouse leaders globally plan to integrate augmented reality technologies within the next five years, reflecting a strategic move to augment human labor with digital intelligence.

Concurrently, the Shift Toward Edge Computing for Real-Time Location Processing is accelerating as organizations seek to mitigate the latency and bandwidth limitations inherent in centralized cloud architectures. By processing dense geolocation streams directly on local gateways or devices, enterprises ensure the millisecond-level responsiveness required for automated guided vehicles and safety-critical industrial monitoring systems. This decentralized approach allows for immediate decision-making at the asset level without relying on continuous upstream connectivity. According to the Eclipse Foundation, April 2024, in the '2023 IoT & Edge Commercial Adoption Survey Report', 33% of organizations have already adopted edge computing solutions, with an additional 30% indicating concrete plans to deploy this infrastructure within the next 24 months to support such distributed workloads.

Segmental Insights

Based on recent industry analysis, the Outdoor Location segment is identified as the fastest-growing category within the Global Location Of Things Market. This accelerated expansion is primarily driven by the surging integration of location-based services in connected logistics, precision agriculture, and autonomous mobility. Technological advancements in satellite positioning and 5G infrastructure are enhancing the accuracy of tracking assets over vast geographical areas. Furthermore, institutions such as the U.S. Department of Transportation are catalyzing this growth by investing in connected vehicle ecosystems and enforcing stringent mandates for fleet safety and real-time monitoring, thereby necessitating robust outdoor tracking solutions across commercial sectors.

Regional Insights

North America leads the Global Location Of Things Market primarily due to the extensive adoption of Internet of Things technologies and valid digital infrastructure. The region benefits from a high concentration of major technology providers that drive constant innovation in mapping and location intelligence. Furthermore, significant investments by federal entities such as the U.S. Department of Transportation in connected vehicle initiatives and smart city projects reinforce this market position. High smartphone penetration and the integration of location-based services across retail, defense, and logistics sectors continue to sustain the region's strong industry standing.

Recent Developments

• In July 2024, UnaBiz released the beta version of Sigfox Atlas Sparks, an AI-enhanced geolocation service tailored for the supply chain and logistics sector. This new solution was designed to improve the tracking accuracy of low-cost, Sigfox-only devices by integrating them with a smaller fleet of smart Wi-Fi trackers. The system utilized patented machine-learning algorithms to analyze communication patterns and cluster simple trackers with smarter units, thereby refining the location data for the entire fleet. This innovation allowed asset owners to obtain high-quality positioning data for pallets and parcels without incurring the high costs associated with equipping every asset with advanced hardware.
• In April 2024, Quectel Wireless Solutions introduced the BG95-S5, a versatile satellite communication module capable of supporting non-terrestrial networks (NTN) as well as cellular connectivity. The module was equipped with integrated GNSS capabilities, making it highly suitable for space-constrained asset management applications that require ubiquitous coverage. By supporting 3GPP Release 17 IoT-NTN in S and L bands, the product offered flexibility for designers to ensure devices could maintain connections regardless of deployment location. This launch addressed the growing demand for reliable tracking and communication in heavy industry, wearables, and logistics sectors where terrestrial networks may be unavailable.
• In March 2024, u-blox launched the F10, its first dual-band Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) platform designed to provide meter-level positioning accuracy in dense urban environments. The new platform combined the L1 and L5 frequency bands to significantly mitigate multipath effects, where satellite signals are reflected by buildings or foliage. This advancement was specifically engineered for urban mobility applications, such as aftermarket telematics and micromobility, ensuring reliable tracking performance in challenging signal conditions. The platform’s firmware was optimized to prioritize L5 signals when necessary, delivering a trustworthy position estimate for vehicle tracking solutions.
• In January 2024, HERE Technologies announced a long-term strategic partnership with Uber to enhance the global mapping and geolocation capabilities of the ride-sharing platform. Under this collaboration, the location data and technology platform became a preferred provider for Uber, delivering precise mapping, point address, and point-of-interest data. This integration was designed to improve the accuracy of pick-up and drop-off points for millions of users worldwide, optimizing the operational efficiency of Uber’s mobility and delivery services. The agreement built upon existing relationships to provide fresher and more accurate location intelligence for the platform's daily operations.

Key Market Players

• Apple, Inc.
• Alphabet Inc.
• Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
• Pitney Bowes Inc.
• IBM Corporation
• HERE Holding Corporation
• Wireless Logic Inc.
• Microsoft Corporation

By Location Type	By Application	By Vertical	By Region
Indoor Location Outdoor Location	Mapping & Navigation Location-based Customer Engagement & Advertising Platform Location-based Social Media Monitoring IoT Asset Management Location Intelligence	BFSI Defense Government & Public Utilities Healthcare & Life Sciences Industrial Manufacturing Media & Entertainment Retail & E-Commerce Transportation & Logistics Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Location Of Things Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Location Of Things Market, By Location Type:

• Indoor Location
• Outdoor Location

• Location Of Things Market, By Application:

• Mapping & Navigation
• Location-based Customer Engagement & Advertising Platform
• Location-based Social Media Monitoring
• IoT Asset Management
• Location Intelligence

• Location Of Things Market, By Vertical:

• BFSI
• Defense
• Government & Public Utilities
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Industrial Manufacturing
• Media & Entertainment
• Retail & E-Commerce
• Transportation & Logistics
• Others

• Location Of Things Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE