the location identification is very important. google map is already doing it perfectly with the help of google latitude, showing where our friends, wikipedia details for the location, location based search.

there are other apps too. but in my opinion the the kind of investment or interest shown in this sector is very slow or less, there can be even more applications,

“An estimated 63 million mobile phone users upgraded to smartphones from feature phones in 2008, from approximately 15 million upgrades in 2005 – Kate Imbach, Gigaom.com”

this area need to be evolved more, location based social networks, general or emergency assistance, paid services etc, even news papers(how long our people will read generic news lets go next generation guys)

social networking sites can take more plunge here, by developing a applications that relate people based on location, provide some sort of assistances based on location, just imagine..

1. lets say i am going to wash car this weekend, but I’m bored to do it alone, any of my “good” friend is so bored than me and say’s he can join me in the activity –
2. sitting in a coffee shop, there’s a nice song but i don’t know any details about it, just ask it the app, someone in few tables away say what song it is.
3. shopping for best deal
4. free movie tickets
5. free ride from one location to another by sharing the ride with someone already moving in that direction.

some existing players already:

http://www.qiro.net / – German, location based social network

http://zyb.com/lang/en/  – sync’s your friends and their social networks in one place

http://gowalla.com/  – discover places

http://www.aka-aki.com  – find love and friends

http://brightkite.com/  – meet people around you

http://foursquare.com/  – find friends

http://www.gypsii.com/  – GPS location based mobile community

http://www.loopt.com/ – who is similar around you or what to do and what to eat

know any other mobile app players do these stuff?