Google Latitude for iPhone soon to be launched; allows users to locate each other easily

Google announced new software that will let mobile phone users share their whereabouts with family or friends, and it’s due to turn up on the iPhone shortly (in the next week or two most likely).

Google Latitude

Dubbed Google Latitude, the technology is actually a new feature of the search giant’s Maps software for mobile phones and an iGoogle gadget that can be installed on your computer.

“Once you’ve opted in to Latitude, you can see the approximate location of your friends and loved ones who have decided to share their location with you,” Google said in a statement regarding the app.

Things like seeing if your spouse is stuck in traffic on the way home from work, notice that a buddy is in town for the weekend, or take comfort in knowing that a loved one’s flight landed safely, despite bad weather are among the possibilities.

The new software also ties into the company’s existing fleet of communication services, letting family and friends keep in constant touch through SMS messages, Google Talk, Gmail, or by status message updates. Users can also change their profile photo on the fly.

At the same time, the Mountain View-based firm said it recognizes the sensitivity of location data and has thus built “fine-grained privacy controls” right into the application. Everything about the new Latitude is said to be opt-in, allowing users to not only control exactly who gets to see their location, but also what location they see.

Very interesting concept and possibilities for this app.

Posted on Feb 6th, 2009 by Maggie Mills in iPhone Apps | 24 Comments

24 Comments to “Google Latitude for iPhone soon to be launched; allows users to locate each other easily”

on 07 Feb 2009 at 6:01 pm1iPhone App Reviews

Interesting but I wonder how many people will actually use it because it’s find of an invasion of privacy.
on 09 Feb 2009 at 10:36 am2Jørgen

You could possibly change name to iPhoneStalk :>
on 15 Feb 2009 at 2:57 pm3stalkermom

there’s not way in the world that teenagers would allow parents to see their true whereabouts. they would just set it to “in the library studying”….
on 16 Feb 2009 at 11:11 am4Sean Laidlaw

I THink this app is brilliant, i am in the forces and its great when im away on operations my family can see where i am just by logging onto their pc’s and when i dont want them to know i can just switch it off or set my location to wherever i want!!

Try it before you slate it!!
on 22 Feb 2009 at 1:03 am5Gary

This is a great feature. Not only can you know the where about of your kids, but possibly help law enforcement if a child is kidnapped. Also track employees for those who like to ride the clock and waste employeers payroll.
on 23 Feb 2009 at 3:29 pm6Andy W

Totall agree Gary.

Its a great idea. I for one would like to know where my daughter of 11 years is so if i ever needed to know in an emergency it would be excellent.

Stalkermom:
there’s not way in the world that teenagers would allow parents to see their true whereabouts.

Maybe the problem is in the middle of your sentance… ‘teenagers would allow parents’ rules and putting your parental foot down spring tio mind!

I mean for gods sake its for safety and protection! Im sure they would agree with the idea if some stranger put them into the back of his van!
on 23 Feb 2009 at 7:44 pm7Adam

@Sean

Would you seriously let a website track you while you were away on military operations? Is that not kind of … dangerous? Do you really trust Google security enough for that. Does the armed force trust Google that much?

Just wondering.
on 25 Feb 2009 at 1:02 am8Al R

At first I thought this app would be an incredible invasion of privacy. Although I thought it would be great to know where my wife was, did I really want to know. Shouldn’t I trust her. Then I thought what if the guys wanted to go to a nudie bar. Do I want the world to know that? So I dismissed the idea of latitude. But then I found a use for it. I carpool with my wife. I drive to my work and get out, then my wife drives to her work. We repeat the same thing in reverse on the way home. My wife then calls me twice. When she gets out of work to give me a traffic update to estimate what time she will pick me up, and she calls again when she gets close. If I had Latitude I could track her progress and she wouldn’t have to call. The other day we took separate cars and met at a restaurant. She could have tracked my progress on meeting her there. I think I will install this on our phones. I wish I could get my daughter to put it on her phone.
on 28 Feb 2009 at 2:00 am9TRIXIE

I have used Latitude for the Blackberry and I loved it!! To be able to see someones location, you have to have their contact info programmed into your Google account. You don’t have to worry about random people finding you.

Keep in mind that GPS is not an exact pin point of a location. Google Latitude marks the map, where it thinks you are, then it adds a “buffer” circle around that location. Results will vary depending on the GPS devise you are using. My husband has an older BB 8703 and I had a BB 8800. My results were more accurate than his on his older phone.
on 03 Mar 2009 at 8:06 pm10AT

Sounds like loopt, to me. Maybe, Google will acquire them as well.
on 08 Mar 2009 at 10:56 pm11bobtheoutlaw

Can’t wait, I think it will be wonderful, using lootp now and it is not user friendly, trying to track someones cross country trip but they must ping you every so often to let you know where they are, we want it to be passive with no entry required by the traveler to keep us updated on thier location.
on 11 Mar 2009 at 1:15 am12Dyao

Actually it doesn’t track you all the time, only when u have google maps on or web u choose to update your position. You can also choose to keep your location private so either no one can see you or only certain people can see you.
on 11 Mar 2009 at 5:47 am13wakefield

i have this on my storm and its a lot of fun seeign wheer all your buddies and family members are its a great app
on 17 Mar 2009 at 5:00 am14bobtheoutlaw

Dyao, if that is so, then this also only allows you to see where I’ve been rather than where I am/
I really want an app that will track me while I am on the move, no only when I stop somewhere and push a button.
on 06 Apr 2009 at 8:59 pm15Donalds

Hey guys! Do you know that there is another app on appstore now that does what Google latitude does. It’s called iFindFriends, really cool. Now I can check where my buddies are!!
on 15 May 2009 at 8:38 pm16Aklrt

Regardless of what you think of the technology, when is Google finally going to get around to releasing this application? What is the hold up – Google or Apple?! Would someone at least communicate a schedule rather than continuing to post the “Coming Soon” note on the website. This is ridiculous.
on 10 Jun 2009 at 2:03 am17Joel

This is pathetic. This could also be a very dangerous tool for those who choice to use it for all the wrong reasons. A parent has the right to protect their child, not the right to control every step they take. This is about freedom of choice for children. Sure, you may think it keeps them protected, but seriously, this is a step too far if a parent tracks their child’s every move. It’s almost a little sick in my opinion. Plus have you ever heard of hackers? there are plenty of people that can track your child through the very means that you think will help protect them. You exposed them to perverts who know the exact location. Google may claim its secure and impossible to find randoms, but people will find a way, they always do, and you people know it!
on 23 Jun 2009 at 2:09 pm18Remon

Joel,
If you are that paranoid about people finding kids, then maybe they shouldn’t be carrying cell phones either. You can triangulate the location of a cell phone from the information on the cell network. Also, you probably should not use credit cards because they could reveal that you are far from home.
Nearly all technology is double edged and can be used with either good and evil intent. To one extent or another we all have to choose a balance between the risks and rewards. Some will like Latitude, and some won’t. It isn’t useful to call it pathetic.
on 25 Jun 2009 at 5:28 pm19PaulW

when when when? we’ve been waiting for this for some time now.. when?
on 04 Jul 2009 at 2:30 pm20Serhiy

Invasion of privacy?
You do not like that feature, just do not use it and you have no problem with your privacy.
People who are worried about their privacy – you are funny – your computer can be traced in a second, if needed, so is your cell phone. Your e-mail sent from your computer has all info to track it back geographically. So, how much more privacy do you need?
I think it’s great program and I wish I could get it working on my iPhone.
on 05 Jul 2009 at 6:29 am21Juan

Many Apps popping up, Pocket Life seems to have solved the privacy issue very well and is available on the iphone. Seems ahead of google with quite a nice user interface. I found it here: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=319757953&mt=8
on 11 Jul 2009 at 4:29 pm22Jack

Hah, in the article it says this app is coming out “(in the next week or two most likely)”

now that it’s been 6 months..
on 13 Jul 2009 at 5:07 am23joel

I have invested many hours trying to get this to work on my g1 (google phone). The application is useless.
on 14 Jul 2009 at 11:54 am24emelda

LOL @ Andy and Gary,

control freaks of staff and kids (you do realise there’s a difference, right Andy?)

Teenagers DO have rights and a right to privacy is a human basic, but good luck with your “putting your foot down” parenting advice dude! I trust it will come in handy when your daughter is a few years older than she is now

Re: iphonestalk: my controlling boyfriend loves it, and I love him, so it’s a win/win

Google Latitude for iPhone soon to be launched; allows users to locate each other easily

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