Location, Location, Location Based Services

RobBrady · Last edited by RobBrady on Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:51 pm; edited 3 times in total

I firmly believe that Location Based Services (LBS) will disrupt as many markets as the World Wide Web did in the late 90s.

LBS services include finding the nearest restaurant, petrol station (and price alerts) and ATM or alerting you to traffic jams or speed cameras. They can also assist in locating pets, children or Alzheimer's sufferers.

The technology industry as a whole is beginning to recognise the power of 'always-on' connected LBS and community networks and is full of ideas that are changing the way people interact. After a shaky start, the LBS market is enjoying a growing maturity and the focus now is firmly on innovation and profitability.

Market research firm ABI predicts that the global GPS market will grow to more than $22 billion by the end of 2008 with handset navigation and people tracking witnessing the highest growth. It is expected that ALL new mobile devices will carry GPS and LBS technology within 5 years.

According to a report by Telephia, adding GPS to a mobile phone now costs the provider less than $3 and has therefore increased consumer demand for LBS greatly.

With this in mind we have created a new dedicated Location Based Services forum that we are sure will grow in popularity to reflect the growth in usage.
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Robert Brady

simontdc · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 7:08 pm Post subject:

I quite agree. what's been done on the iPhone is amazing. You locate yourself, then put in 'supermarket' or whatever you are looking for, you see all the local ones, together with addresses and phone numbers. One more touch, and you are dialling them. Superb.
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mikealder · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 9:32 pm Post subject:

The same can be done using GPS based software on both PDA and PNA devices where the telephone numbers are stored within the POI files. Sadly the inbuilt POI files that are supplied with most devices are pathetically inadequate, the answer being to add to the device custom POI files that contain quality data such as those available from this site.

What would be a smart move though is if these POI files were available as an immediate download to a device via a mobile phone connection, no messing around unzipping etc. If a user were to need a particular category it would be nice to select it from the screen and be able to use the information within seconds - a sort of "Platinum Service" in comparison to the current methods - Mike

simontdc · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2008 10:53 pm Post subject:

Which is precisely what is already done on the iPhone. Not stored on the phone, but straight from the web, so entirely dynamic.
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MaFt · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:52 am Post subject:

mike - the new mio/navman have this feature (via bluetooth/gprs data connection) as well as the soon-to-be-released copilot7 update

i'm sure it won't be long until the others join in!

MaFt

mikealder · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject:

I hope they start to use a beter source for the data though as the supplied information from the main map providers is currently a waste of time, for example TomTom users will have experianced the find nearest doctors problem where the device computes a route to Ireland or France depending upon where you are (that old North/ South divide) - Mike

chris_ah1 · Regular Visitor Joined: Feb 24, 2008 Posts: 106

yep, but if it's online and dynamic then hopefully it will be easier for different companies to license and share the same database making it easier to update it and keep it comprehensive.

Quite simply, tomtom doesn't care about it's POIS. A LBS provider will if it is how they make money. Then again, who is to say that we can't tie it into 118247 or 118500 etc either? Automated requests via the PNA querying a remote server?

simontdc · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:00 pm Post subject:

Why do you need a 118 service if you already have all the information you need as the POI? - http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/features/index.html#map
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Graeme2812 · Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:52 pm Post subject:

simontdc · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:49 am Post subject:

robertn · Frequent Visitor Joined: Feb 06, 2005 Posts: 564

I thought commercial posts were banned on this forum Very Happy

However, Apple has done for the phone market what many have tried, and failed, made the technology work for the masses.

The idea of LBS has been around for years, its only now that the connectivity cost/benefit, and data accuracy are able to deliver on the promise. However, there is still a problem.

By way of example, you state you want a supermarket, maybe you do, but more often you want a product or service, and you believe (correctly?) a supermarket will provide it. What happens on the Apple if you want (for instance) "nappies", and it find the nearest place to buy them from, or do you just have to know that you buy nappies from a supermarket? Is the supermarket open at 3AM, maybe the 7-11 is abetter choice. What about food, you want a Steak burger - maybe the Chinese down the road does great steak burgers, but searching for a place called "Steak Burgers Takeaways" won't find it.

I some instances, you won't know where to go to get what you want. LBS should be able to solve this for you, currently it does not do this (not even the Apple is that good).

Then you look at the accuracy of the information - what is the motivation for it appearing on your screen, I bet McDonalds makes it in 99/100 searches for takeaway burgers, even when the nearest is 100 miles away.

simontdc · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:41 am Post subject:

tayldn · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 02, 2007 Posts: 20

The problem with Google and most POIs listings is the lack of depth in the information you see. Fine if it is an ATM or Supermarket or guarage that you want, but no good if you're wanting a quality meal or accommodation or trip out and about. Let's accept that the user is going to get unlimited data on his locality easily and quickly within the next 24 months- the real challenge is getting the RIGHT information enabling a quality decision on what to do. Abundant User generated content is no problem at your desk with time and a big screen but no good at all on the road. Roadtour.

peterc10 · Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:43 pm Post subject:

This is getting better by the month .....

I have just got a new HTC Touch Diamond with GPS and Google maps (for free). It tells me approximately where I am (within 200 yards) without using the GPS just by picking up the mobile phone signals (I thinks that's how it does it). If I tell it to use GPS it gets it much more accurate.

But the beauty is that the menu has a search button. If I search for chinese food local to my home I get most of the local restaurants and take aways, giving me their address and phone number. I can then touch on the info to get options for directions to them or to phone them. These seem to be pretty accurate. Same with a lot of other things I can search for.

All of this info (maps and businesses) is sent as you ask for it via data on the mobile phone, rather than being stored in the PDA, as the old fashioned maps and POIs are.

Presumably these businesses are paying Google to be included in what is effectively an electronic yellow pages for the area you are in. If that is the case I can only see the database increasing and getting more accurate.

Sounds good to me - I am always looking for a curry when I am away!

The only down side is to make sure you have data included in your monthly contract and never use it when you are roaming as that will be exhorbitant.
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