Hmm, looks like it’ll be the second Google-post in a row. Well never mind that, ’cause this is cool: Google Maps Mobile now uses cell ID in addition to GPS to show location information.
Technologically, there’s not much new about this. After all, cell ID databases and services have already been available in many different places for some time.
What is new, however, is that it works on a previously existing, already useful service: Google Maps Mobile. Even in Finland. On a phone without GPS, Google Maps successfully (well I call it a success anyway) identified my location within 100m: see screenshot on the left.
Now, what are the immediate ramifications of such a thing being widely available? For one, you get your approximate location on devices that don’t have GPS or when you’re out of GPS coverage. From a user point of view, that’s pretty neat. From an operator point of view, it’s not so neat – one of the key assets on the operators’ incredibly shrinking list of key assets is the location of their customers.
Or, wait, was.
So clearly at least some of the operators are bound to fight back. In fact, there has been talk – let’s call them rumors – that some operators are already randomly shuffling their cell IDs to screw with the “unofficial” location services such as this. Now is doing that lame? You bet it is. Is it protectionism? Yes, but curiously of a resource the operators themselves are not utilizing to any significant extent. Does it create additional badwill towards operators? Lots.
Is it, in the longer term, futile? Most definitely.
To get the updated Google Maps, direct your mobile browser to http://www.google.com/gmm/
