Location applications continue their steady increase of around 100 new apps per week.  There are now around 1,800 total LBS apps in the App Store.  The majority of these applications continue to appear in the Local Search, Public Transportation, Routing and Travel categories, although this week there were several new applications in the Social Networking, Photography and Sports categories.

Two major brands launched location-aware apps this week.   Match.com has released an app in the Social Networking category that is very similar to their online website, but uses location to find singles closest in proximity; however it does not release exact location information for privacy reasons.  Anheuser-Busch has introduced Bud American Ale Finder which locates bars, pubs or restaurants that carry Budweiser products in addition to the closest package stores to pick up a six-pack.  Major brands like these two are anticipating the need to create mobile apps that take advantage of location and engage with their consumers on their mobile devices.

More and more, we are also seeing a trend to create location apps for navigating concerts, conventions and college campuses.  Otago Maps was released this week by the University of Otago in New Zealand.  The app provides accurate location pinpointing and is great for new students or visitors finding the way around the campus.

APhoto GPS Marker takes geo-tagging photos to the next level allowing the user to label their pictures with not only location (longitude, latitude), but distance to or from a selected location, the altitude the picture was taken at, and the current speed.  This type of application provides a new way for users to view their pictures and is an asset to those in the photography field.

By Courtney Teeling

Skyhook announced another partnership this week, with a company called two forty four a.m. on their Locale app for Android.  Locale is an advanced settings manager for people who need their phone to help keep up with their busy lives.  The app can automatically switch a ringer to vibrate while a user is at work, or forward calls to a landline while at home.

This marks yet another Android Developer Challenge Grand prize-winning company that has turned to Skyhook to improve location on its app.  Locale is a fantastic app for Skyhook to integrate with because there is no other app like it on Android or the iPhone.  It is certain that with the innovative features of Locale combined with the advanced positioning of Skyhook, the app will be in high demand from users.  Skyhook is quickly establishing itself as a necessity for LBS apps in the Android Marketplace, as more and more developers are discovering the defects in the native location platform.

Location-based applications in the App Store are now 1500 strong and counting.  On top of this exciting milestone, the store was also booming with fun and new unique location applications.  The Sports category in particular saw a jump in GPS capable apps with the introduction of Snow Motion: UT, Snowboard Spotter, Ski Spotter, and FanFinder - Sports Bar Locator, the present #1 free sports app.

Snow Motion: UT tests actual ski and snowboard skills by calculating speed, air and difficulty of a trick all from the user’s pocket.  Snow Motion also includes a friend locator, to find other friends using the app on the mountain and maps to Utah’s top resorts.  Snow Motion is also available for California and Lake Tahoe.  Snowboard Spotter and Ski Spotter are both designed by the same developer, GP Apps, and serve the same purpose.  When the user takes a break from the mountain, they can simply open the application and press save location.  When they are ready to return, it will use GPS to find where the skis or snowboard were left behind.  FanFinder - Sports Bar Locator locates sports bars where other fans of your favorite teams are watching the games.  The application will locate your position and provide results for the closest bars to that location.  You may then select your favorite teams and shake the phone to give results of the bars that specifically cater to fans of the teams selected.

SayNFind is different from other navigation applications because while it pinpoints your current location and can give you mapped out directions to an end spot, it is different as it allows the user to say where they would like to go instead of having to type the street address.  Simply speak the location and SayNFind will route the course with turn by turn directions.

Paparazzi is a geo-based game that rewards the player with points for every photo taken as well as rewards points for every photo the player is featured in. As the player gains attention and points, they become more valuable to the other players.  It is entertainment that incorporates social networking, photography, and location enabled capabilities.

Under the Travel category, there is UFO Hunter and Historic Sites.  UFO Hunter incorporates entertainment and location to reveal all reported UFO sightings in relation to current position.  Historic Sites features nearby historical sites, as listed by the National Registry of Historic Places, along with driving directions, a map, and additional facts and information about the sites.

By Courtney Teeling

Skyhook Wireless location-based applications have reached 1700 this week, with 25% of these applications being free of charge, while the remaining 75% are priced at $0.99 or higher.  Fortunately, one of the most valuable applications using location is free.   Amber Alert Mobile, developed by ObjectivePlay, can help return a missing child to its community.  Amber Alert Mobile is a listing of all current Amber Alerts and Missing Children Alerts.  The application has a “Near Me” option displaying who went missing from the areas closest to the user’s current location or are suspected to be close by.  Finally, the app provides quick links to the website and hotline for The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Find Tag Sales and Coupious are two applications that have the discount shopper’s best interests in mind.  Coupious gives you coupons directly on your phone for discounts and deals that might be around you.  No coupons need to be printed, the user can show the coupon displayed on their iPhone or Touch screen to receive the discount.  Find Tag Sales locates the nearest tag sale, garage sale or flea market.  This application is also great for sellers looking to spread the word beyond neighborhood flyers and Craigslist ads.

PeaRoast is a socially-aware micro blogger allowing the user to read their friends blogs, blogs around the world or blogs closest to their location. INfonaut is the application for the NASA enthusiast.  The user can track the status of the next NASA shuttle mission, learn about crew members, or use their location to determine the next time to watch the International Space Station pass overhead. Finally, PrimoSpot Parking Finder is the ultimate travelers guide for navigating New York City.  This application finds parking locations closest by and also rates them on a system of how long you can park there (24hr, 2 days, etc.), if the parking spot is free, or a bad spot.  The application also alerts of alternate side parking suspensions and provides mapping back to your car after you have parked.

By Courtney Teeling

The Travel category had a large increase of almost 100 new applications with the introduction of the Travel To series. Travel To is powered by WikiTravel, developed by Molinker Inc., and edited by travelers all over the world reviewing the best places to shop, eat, and dine, how to get around, and even which places to avoid.  There are a wide variety of cities all over the world that these applications cover, with new cities being added every day.

MyATM is typical of other local search applications that find the closest bank to your current location, but what makes it unique is the option to preset a specific branch of bank and then have it only locate those that fit into that category.  This is useful for weeding out the options the user is not interested in and the preset can be changed for up to 20 major bank chains in the United States.  The user can also link directly to online banking from the ATM results page.  Pet Services Finder is the all inclusive app for locating any type of service for pet needs.  Based on current location, Pet Services Finder will locate the closest vet, pet store, dog park, groomer, dog walker etc.

Foursquare goes beyond traditional location-based social apps.  It’s a nightlife game where the user receives points for being out every night of the week, the first to visit a new bar, or adding new information about clubs, restaurants, and pubs.  The application mixes in reviews from Google and Yelp and is available in 12 major U.S. cities.  Incorporating the game aspect into the application gives it a competitive edge over other social networking applications because there is a reward to opening and utilizing the application every time the user is in a new spot.

By Courtney Teeling