Google announces My Location service

04 February 2009, 9:30am

Google has announced version 2.0 of Google Maps for mobile, featuring a beta version of ‘My Location’, a new navigation service.

Unlike most navigation systems, My Location does not use GPS (global positioning satellite) technology, relying instead on cell tower ID information to find a users approximate location.

My Location uses the information broadcast from cell towers to find the user’s approximate location on the map by processing it with Google-developed algorithms.

My Location is available on the Symbian Series 60 3rd Edition range, on most smartphones including BlackBerry phones, most Windows Mobile devices, and on some Sony Ericsson and Motorola phones.

My Location is said to work more quickly than GPS and can function indoors, which GPS cannot do - yet. Because a GPS receiver is not needed the function uses less power from the phone’s battery - a real bonus for phone users.

The system appeals to those without GPS enabled phones. Google estimates that GPS functionality is supported on fewer than 15 % of the phones sold in 2007, this is a sizable market.

Geo: International