Loopt for iPhone Delivers Location Update in Background

Do you still remember Google Latitude, the web application developed by Google that lets you share your location with your friends or others? One problem of Google Latitude is it’s just a web application. That shouldn’t be a problem. When you do a search in App Store, there is no shortage of iPhone applications for location-based social networking. Loopt is one of them and it’s popular. What’s more is it’s the very first iPhone application to allow you update the location in background.

Basically, like Google Latitude, Loopt provides location-aware social networking service. On iPhone, it displays a detailed map showing where your friends are located and what they are doing. You can also instantly share photos and comments with your friends.

Like other iPhone applications, Apple does not allow Loopt to run in background or update your location in background while you moves from one place to another. This doesn’t stop Loopt from delivering exceptional service to iPhone users. The trick is to work with the carrier.

Via a deal with AT&T, Loopt becomes the first iPhone application that can update your location in background. So, even the application is inactive or closed, your location will be updated all time, given you have a data connection with AT&T. And, your location will also be broadcasted to your friends (of course, with your permission) in real-time.

Presently, the Always-On location service is only available to AT&T customers. According to Loopt’s press release, this service will only be provided to limited set of user for testdrive purpose. Loopt offers a free trial of the service for 14 days. Thereafter, it will cost US$3.99 per month, added to your AT&T paybill. If you’re eager to test out the service with Loopt, sign up here and join the trial run. But act quick, Loopt only grants access to 5,000 users.

Call me an old guy! Personally, I’m not very fond of sharing my location with others in real-time. However, as Loopt’s CEO mentioned, the Always-On location service is the most requested feature. He also explained why it’s important to bring this feature to iPhone and suggested a couple of applications for the real-time location service:

Get alert when you’re near a friend or an interesting place
Build a “Life Graph” of all the places you’ve gone

The second point is very interesting. A Life Graph of all visited places! Think if you travel to Japan and then to China for a month, Loopt can you the route of all visited places. You can then blog about your journey or share your trip (or route) with other friends. That’ll really great. Let’s see how Loopt will bring these interesting features in future.

What do you think about Loopt’s always-on location service? Leave us comment and share your thought.

[images via loopt]

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Tagged as: Google Latitude, iPhone, Loopt, Share Location

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

1 Andi Rachmat Kadir September 9, 2009 at 11:52 am: Wow that’s pretty cool feature, but I wonder if it’s gonna work outside the state, as I currently residing at Indonesia, beside that I’m not using at&t carrier of course, I wonder if the feature will work with other carrier. Otherwise it’s a great feature and fresh idea, they should integrate it with all the smartphone that coming out in the future