The official Google Blog has announced that its location-based Latitude service is on it's way:
with Latitude, not only can you see your friends' locations on a map, but you can also be in touch directly via SMS, Google Talk, Gmail, or by updating your status message; you can even upload a new profile photo on the fly. It's a fun way to feel close to the people you care about. [...] Ready to share your location? If you have a mobile smartphone, visit google.com/latitude on your phone's web browser to download the latest version of Google Maps for mobile with Latitude. Latitude is available on Blackberry, S60, and Windows Mobile, and will be available on Android in the next few days. We expect it will be coming to the iPhone, through Google Mobile App, very soon.
Interesting that it's coming to the App Store available Google Mobile App (which added the Voice Search feature recently) and not the built in Google Maps app (which Apple develops and would require a firmware release to update).
See the video above for important privacy information. And we have to ask, is this a fun and convenient toy, or the next step towards "Big Brother" all hidden up in "Little Brother" clothes? Is Google parsing all your friends' and family's location useful, or terrifying?
Reader comments
Google Latitude to Let the iPhone Track You and Your Friends...!
The official Google Blog has announced that it’s location-based Latitude service is on it’s way:
or rather
The official Google Blog has announced that ITS location-based Latitude service is on ITS way.
Please, let's lose that apostrophe when you don't mean "it is" or "it has".
I CAN HAS?!?!? I CAN HAS RITE???? RITE SO I CAN HAS THIS RITE???
I WANT IT NOW
@Jozsoo: Thanks, fixed! Apologies to have forced you to write so much about typos, you had no time left to comment on the actual story :p
It seems the iPhone will be the substandard version. On Win Mo and S60 the app will run in the background and update your location constantly, but on the iPhone it probably wont.
I don't even answer my door for people unless I'm expecting them... I don't care if they're bleeding to death.
I can't imagine having people (friends or not) knowing where I am... and I don't need to know where they are.
This is just weird.
@fred i think you're right since we don't have any push/backgrounding yet.
This is useful if you are meeting a friend and you can't find them. Or maybe for a parent to keep up with their kid. (Although all the kid has to do is turn on the service when they arrive where they are supposed to go, then hide your location after you leave. If it's anything like Loopt, it will still show your last location.) But again, this can be useful...
@Blake If i ever have kids especially a girl I will be implanting a Perm GPS chip behind her neck.
problem solved :P
@Steve, #5: Same here. Location services may be useful to certain people, but not me.
Isn't this similar/Just like the Loopt app?
So this will be in the Google mobile app, Meh. I'm with Steve ^
I'm not taking the piss here, but what is the point of the google mobile app? I had it installed for the longest time on my phone, but never used it, google search was in safari, and I dont have enough stuff on my iphone (contacts bookmarks etc) to warrant having to search for them in a seperate app.
Did it do other stuff? Am I missing out on something?
@Maniacfive: I installed the Google app the day it hit the App Store and STILL haven't even tried it. Not because I don't want to, but because I never think of it and, like you said, I already have Google Search on Safari so why switch to another app? That big G icon is just sitting there taking up space.
Omg why is it on google mobile app... The app isn't available in all countries eg: Singapore..... What crap news to us... Praying hard that the app would be available soon to us though....
Go to Google I phone and look up application called pocketfinder. I think you will find this very interesting. I would love to know your thoughts.
Is anyone else as freaked out about Google Latitude as I am? Do we really want the government to be able to subpoena Google on this data?
Well the application is quite crazy, but only if a lot of people will use it. When none of your friends are members, you cannot profit. So it depends on how the people will react to Google's new Hype-Service.
can someone please tell me how do I put this application on my iPhone I have a 2gen Unlocked with T-Mobile. Thanks