Is the iPhone revolutionizing LBS ?
The Apple iPhone has shipped more than five millions units worldwide since its lunch in 2007. We believe that the iPhone will bring consumer awareness to LBS- type applications and markets for the following reasons :
- The iPhone has a great screen for LBS applications, which is clearer than any PNDs and user-friendly for the LBS of pedestrian navigation
- The iPhone uses a combination of Skyhook Wireless' technology to do a initial Wi-Fi position (WPS) fix. If no Wi-FI access points are detected then it relies on Google's my location feature which is based on cell tower location information. It means that the absence of organic GPS is not a big deal if you want to search the nearest pizza on the iPhone.
- The Google-Maps application on iPhone is user-friendly and ergonomic: easy to find restaurants, gas stations, get driving directions with the local search.. And it also enables poi creation and turn by turn navigation.
- The iPhone operates on the EDGE data network which provides up to three times the data capacity of GPRS, so advanced mobile services works well on the iPhone and the network is fast enough to zoom in an out on LBS application.
- With the iPhone software development kit, which allows third-party programmers to create applications for the iPhone, many application will benefit from iPhone fonctionnalities (touch screen, google maps, location, big memory, adress book, connectivity, calendar ...)
- Accurate digital maps and related content are the foundation of powerful location-based services and applications and with all the social platforms launching their web application for iPhone, users can have more personalized experience from their devices.
