Where Are You?
Often the first question one asks when calling someone on a mobile phones is “Where are you?”. AT&T Wireless has launched “Find Friends”, a location-based service part of the mMode suite of applications, that will answer that question for you. Users can set up a list of mMode subscribers they want to locate, provided those users have given them persmission to be added to the list. Once you locate a users you can contact them via voice or sms. The service can even suggest nearby locations if you want to meet. In areas with high base station density the service can pinpoint locations down to street intersections. This is a good start for location-based service since its about people-to-people communication and not about advertising. But it probably won’t be used too much by mMode’s current business users. It could however take off once it gets into the hands of the youth market.
