Opinionated comments on mobile phone industry news

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Thursday, March 22, 2007

 
Location opportunities in USA
'location-based services in the US' lists some of the interesting services that are possible if mobile phones have location support (in the phone itself or via the network). Some could be implemented also with "lesser" network-based technologies, at least in rural areas and so that standard phones could be used (e.g. for local search and local weather), but most require the precision of GPS. The services listed could as well be deployed in other parts of the world.

Mentioned:
  • maps, directions
  • traffic monitoring & dynamic re-routing
  • very local weather
  • “fencing” (providing an area outside of which the tracked phone should not venture)
  • tracking (useful for many businesses)
  • friend finding
  • local search

I'm surprised that operators haven't taken the opportunity to provide at least good network-based location using triangulation and other precision-increasing methods. It's as if the operators got jaded after all the hype about LBSs around 2000 (that in my opinion stood for Lots of Bull Shit at the time), and somehow never came back. Now the field is open for GPS, that operators have no control over, unless we talk A-GPS.


Posted by Anders Borg 21:25 | Permalink  
Comments:
There are non-GPS and carrier independent location solutions like Wi-Fi positioning that leverage existing Wi-Fi for better positioning accuracy and reliability where GPS fails.

Other advantages include: No connection and operating system license fees; No carrier approval needed; No testing prior to launch required; No burden in achieving the “right” business model with the carriers; No sharing of revenues.

Kris
www.MobileLocalSearch.net
Posted by Kris | Permalink | 24 March, 2007 01:07
 
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