Phil Hendrix Location Epicenter of Mobile Innovation 2010 GigaOM Pro Report

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Location – the Epicenter of Mobile Innovation in 2010Forces Unleashing a New Generation of Location-based Services

Dr. Phil Hendrix, immr

PRO.GIGAOM.COM February 2010 2

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Location – the Epicenter of Mobile Innovation

Opportunity The convergence of technology, competition, investment and social media is unleashing location-based innovation and fueling an enormous wave of new location-based services.

Geodata Leading incumbent providers are losing their grip on geodata and digital maps. Tectonic shifts are (i) making geodata "free"; (ii) improving the level of detail and accuracy of geodata; and (iii) enhancing the variety, richness and usefulness of maps and geodata. Efforts by Google, OpenStreetMap and other new players are expanding access to low-cost, even free, geodata while crowd sourcing and other efforts are simultaneously increasing accuracy, detail and fidelity. Just beginning to appear in commercial applications, 3D geodata will enable new location-based applications in much the same way that early maps opened up new routes and navigation.

Location Determination

Once limited to imprecise, "locked-down" location information from mobile operators, developers can now choose from an array of methods and providers to locate users more quickly, with greater precision and at a lower cost. Viewed as a fall back option, Cell-ID has lost ground as Wi-Fi positioning and GPS have become increasingly ubiquitous.

Sensors and Readers on

Mobile Devices

Equipped with a growing array of sophisticated sensors, mobile phones are morphing into devices that connect users to places, other individuals and location-specific content in new and compelling ways. With imaging (more commonly known as camera phones), proximity, motion and orientation sensors, mobile devices are enabling a whole new class of location-centered services, many of which rely on visual capabilities.

Source: Dr. Phil Hendrix, immr


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Object Recognition

and Visual Search

Leveraging camera phones, object recognition on mobile devices will be regarded as one of the most significant developments of the decade. Given its ease of use and intuitiveness, one application in particular - Visual Search - will soon come to dominate search on mobile devices. Google aspires to hyperlink "any recognizable object, text string, logo, face, etc. with multimedia information." With key acquisitions and significant R&D, Google is building the next generation search engine for mobile devices using object and image recognition.

Bar Codes and

QR Codes

The ability to scan bar codes - both 1D and 2d versions, such as QR codes - with camera phones will revolutionize the way in which individuals obtain information, shop and more generally experience places. Although bar codes are commonly associated with buying products, the potential applications of bar codes and QR codes are wide ranging. Creative campaigns, compelling offers and industry efforts are boosting awareness, adoption and utilization of QR codes by consumers and businesses alike. The open-source model is likely to win out over the closed, publisher-managed model.

Automated Geotagging

Geotagging is becoming increasingly automated, increasing the amount and accessibility of posts, images and other user-generated content. Automatic geotagging will (i) rapidly increase the frequency with which users add "location" to their social data; (ii) dramatically expand the volume of location-specific information produced; and (iii) intensify the need and create significant new opportunities for solutions that help individuals filter, find, access and leverage timely, location-specific content.



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User-Generated

Content

User-generated content, particularly when geotagged and searchable by location, represents an enormous, largely untapped asset, which is why Twitter, Facebook and other social media companies are investing heavily to make UGC accessible. As geotagging of content becomes easier and more common, more "locally relevant" content will be available. As more content is geotagged more precisely, the accuracy of "nearby results" is also likely to improve, further reinforcing and boosting usage. Proximity searching and filtering results by location will prove indispensable.

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) transforms the way in which users find and view location-specific content. Much like browsers enabled individuals to access the Internet, AR enables individuals to access content in the world around them. The next 12 to 18 months will see tremendous innovation as developers leverage AR to craft useful new apps and enhance the UI (user interface) to make mobile apps even more intuitive and compelling.

Location Disclosure

The ultimate success of innovative new location-based services hinges on users' willingness to disclose their location, which could become a sticking point. Policies and standards for handling disclosure and location information, interoperable solutions and even "privacy setting aggregators" are an urgent need.

Competition for Location-based Assets

Recognizing the significant window of opportunity, Google, Twitter, Facebook and Apple are competing to be the dominant provider of location-based assets. With its ability to offer location-based services - including location-determination, visual and proximity search and others - "for free," offsetting the cost through advertising and other revenue sources, Google is uniquely positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities.



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For the full report, go tohttp

://pro.gigaom.com/2010/02/location-the-epicenter-of-mobile-innovation/

Phil Hendrix Location Epicenter of Mobile Innovation 2010 GigaOM Pro Report

Documents

mobile location

location information

mobile devices

mobile phones

new generation of location

new class of location

volume of location

mobile apps