After joining in the debate at MobHappy on the post ‘Location on Mobile: Still Wandering Around A Little Aimlessly‘, I decided to post on here why I think location is about to become popular with consumers.
The conversation started because of a blog post on Mobile Entertainment describing The Top 10 Mobile Entertainment Misconceptions with number 9 being:
9. “Location-based technology is intrinsically exciting for consumers…”
No it’s not. The phrase “location-based technology” intrinsically puts most people who aren’t in the mobile industry to sleep. And they look equally unimpressed if you promise them their phone can guide them to the nearest cashpoint.
That was the big selling point of the early days of LBS, until the industry realised that even half-cut consumers can womble their way to the nearest bank machine under their own steam. Now the buzz is around social location, and mashing up your handset’s GPS with social media and Web 2.0 services.
The problem is that this is all still technology-led. The assumption that everyone wants to track their friends – and especially that they regularly go out in town with no specific plans in mind of who to meet or where to go – is unproven at best. As is the idea that people want to geotag all their photos and videos and share them with the world, all the time.
The next year or two will see some really smart, desirable mobile services launch that use location. But it’s the ones that are actually based on stuff people want to do that will succeed.
It’s more about great, desirable services that happen to have location elements in the mix.
I disagree with this statement on many counts.
Of course the term “location-based technology” isn’t interesting to the consumer, just like “Capacitive Surfaces” (iPhone touchscreen), “API’s” (applications, websites, plus loads of other cool stuff) aren’t, however these are the things behind the most popular consumer products and services today. You just need to wrap up the technology in a way the consumer can understand and get excited about.
“The problem is that this is all still technology-led” – I really don’t understand how it is technology-led, it’s totally service-led. Location needs to be a service to exist for consumers, for example a GPS chip is just a GPS chip without a TOM TOM attached it. Without all the other stuff knowing your own location is pretty useless, unless your a mountain trekker. Read More
Mastercard have released an iPhone app called ‘Priceless Picks‘ in conjunction with their agencies McCann Erickson and MRM which integrates with the ‘Priceless’ TV ads.
It’s actually quite a nice dynamic, social app which uses your location to show the nearest ‘priceless’ deals that other consumers have pointed out.
Deals are indicated by bubbles on a map, you simply tap on it to get more information. If you happen to find a priceless deal or place you want to share you can tag it to your current location and add further details.
I like how much effort has gone into this app to tie it in with the ‘Priceless’ proposition. The user generated aspect is cool too, although I wonder if the app will have enough ‘picks’ to still be useful if the amount of users is low.
It would be great if users got a discount at these places for using Mastercard or something so there is a reason to keep using the app.
The app is free to download.
Back in May, I wrote a post about location based status updates on Facebook and how it was something we would be seeing soon. Location data on Facebook will add another dimension to the site, especially as nearly 20% of users are using Facebook mobile.
Today Techcrunch reported that Nokia are releasing a new service which will allow users to update your status with your location. The application is called Ovi Lifecasting and will tie in with Nokia’s Ovi Maps (part of the Nokia Ovi suite).
It works by detecting your location via GPS, allowing you to share it on your Facebook status with a link to a Ovi map. The example below puts in the address, postcode and shortened URL map link in the status update.
Flickr have integrated location based photo search into their mobile site (m.flickr.com) available to iPhone 3.0 and Android users.
The new feature appears as a link called “Photos taken nearby”, when clicked Flickr asks permission to use your location, then a gallery of recent photos taken around your location is shown.
Great for exploring your local area at home and abroad. It would be nice if something like this was integrated into Google Maps Mobile.
No additional settings or application is needed, it runs completely through the mobile browser.
Wow mobile gaming is moving Fast!! webOS to Work with Unreal Engine 3 
