The sale of fishing-related equipment is a booming industry, which accounts for millions of dollars in annual revenue. However, few sectors of this industry are currently experiencing as great of growth as that which pertains to fish finding sonar equipment.
Over the past decade, the industry’s “big three”, which includes Garmin, Lowrance, and Humminbird, have been embroiled in a neck and neck race for sonar superiority. It seems as if each of these three manufacturers debut new, exciting tech with each passing year, in a continual bid to one-up their closest competitor.
Garmin recently announced their next move in the heated chess match that is being played among today’s top-tier sonar manufacturers. The company has released a new Sonar Imagery chart overlay for its Navionics equipped units, that will present the bottom hardness of 121 of the nation’s most renowned fisheries.
This new overlay feature will provide a vivid depiction of each lake bed detailed within the program. Additionally, these overlays will also be available to all mobile consumers, using Apple or Android devices, through the Navionics Boating app.
At the moment, Garmin continues to ride the wave of popularity surrounding its Panoptix LiveScope sonar system. This latest announcement lends further credibility to the company’s bid for the top spot within their given market sector.
At the current moment, many are left to wonder whether or not the industry’s “big three” sonar manufacturers are still in a dead heat, or if Garmin has indeed flexed enough muscle to claim superiority? Perhaps we will be presented with updated offerings from Lowrance and Humminbird in the near future, just in time to keep things interesting.
No matter the case, it is safe to say that the avid angler is the true winner in the ongoing sonar wars, as subsequent technological advancements continue to materialize at warp speed.