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A few weeks ago Google wanted to insure you that their Google Latitude service was in fact far from being dead, and now they are offering it as an API for developers to use in any mobile app they so choose. Perhaps learning from the Buzz privacy fiasco, the emphasis is on users having complete control over how third party applications access and use your Latitude info. With that being said, some of the uses Google envisions for third party Latitude uses:
- Thermostats that turn on and off automatically when you’re driving towards or away from home.
- Traffic that send alerts if there’s heavy traffic ahead of you or on a route you usually take based on your location history
- Your credit card accounts to alert you of potential fraud when a purchase is made far from where you actually are.
- Photo albums so your vacation photos appear on a map at all the places you visited based on your location history.
Again, users will need to specifically grant Latitude access to an app before it can begin using the service, but I think this is a great way to get more people interested in Google’s location-tracking venture. It allows Latitude to be both its own location-aware social service while also allowing it to enhance currently existing social networking applications or create all new uses completely separate of any social connection.
Developers can find the API at code.google.com/apis/latitude and join the Latitude API Google Group to discuss or ask questions. Google also encourages those currently using Latitude to consider some of the apps alright out there using it.
[via Google Mobile Blog]
So exciting in a scary sort of way
Theres definitely a whole world of possibilities available here, I can’t wait to see what things people come up with. But as Nigel says, pretty scary at the same time!
I like location-based personal services on an app-by-app basis much better than general location-based meme of the day crap like FourSquare et al.
I don’t want to be one of those douchebags who has to “check-in” at every restaurant or bar I visit, but telling Opentable that I’m in route to my 8pm reservation so the restaurant can have my table waiting, now THAT would be useful.
insure or ensure?
Wow, sounds “impressive”.
NOW WHERE THE HECK IS A DECENT ANDROID CALENDAR API?!!!!!!!!!
There is no good reason why the Calendar app in my Android phone does not have the functionality of the Google Calendar app online.
The future will see Google knowing not only where you are, but will probably also track your vitals and alert the nearest hospital when you begin to enter cardiac arrest…
O cool! Now, before I rob your house, I’ll just ask you for your email address and latitude you! Awesome.