m-spatial launches 'Spacemark Inside'

11 February 2008, 3:52pm

MWC Barcelona, 11th-14th February 2008: m-spatial, the leader in local search and share, today announces the launch of Spacemark Inside; a new initiative that solves the major consumer frustrations of using web-site and directory assistance (118/411) services to obtain information on local businesses and then having to print out details such as a map of how to get there, or to manually enter address details into a personal navigation system. m-spatial's Spacemark Inside solution enables consumers to 'spacemark' business details they find on the web or via 118/411 services and then retrieve their spacemarks on their mobile phone or personal navigation system whilst 'out and about', and to share them easily with friends.

The increasing number of consumers looking for free access to information about local businesses via digital means is reflected in a forecast from the Kelsey Group last year, which claims that the market for ad-sponsored directory assistance will increase by more than 60% in five years, rising to $460 million by 2012.

At the same time, the growing number of people using their mobile phone or personal navigation device (PND) to find their way around is highlighted in a study by ABI research, predicting that annual sales of Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs) will reach a global sales volume of more than 100 million units by 2010.

Spacemark Inside equips Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Directory Service Providers and Personal Navigation Providers with the means to satisfy the needs of large numbers of consumers wanting to seamlessly connect these activities, and to profit from them by providing access for local advertisers to these highly qualified leads i.e. to consumers known to be intending to spend money with specific business types in a local area.

"Spacemark Inside drives the usage of mobile devices for access to local information by satisfying the 'pre-plan' as well as the 'spontaneous' use case. For instance, if I want to take my family out to dinner in the evening, I can 'spacemark' a restaurant by searching online at work in the morning and then access that information later in the day on my mobile or PND when I'm on my way home to pick them up. I can quickly get the local information I want, whenever and wherever I want it," said Andy Walker, CEO at m-spatial.

"Consumer interest in mobile services offering local information is now growing rapidly, fuelled by developments such as the iPhone and Nokia N95 - and will continue to grow as developments such as Android take effect. Spacemark Inside will act as a catalyst to drive usage of such mobile local services by linking them to the high volumes of existing consumer interactions with local information on the web and in 118/411 services.

In addition, Spacemark Inside offers a quick and simple mechanism for consumers to share user generated content such as ratings and reviews of local businesses. This is a vital link with the explosive growth in the use of social networking services such as Facebook which enable users to swap a host of information on their favourite places - everything from favourite bars, clubs and restaurants, to recommended holiday destinations."

www.mspatial.com

Geo: International