Location-aware iPhone apps are booming the App Store. In just three months, the number of location based iPhone apps has doubled from 1,000 to 2,000. And now over 75% of location-aware apps are paid.

Lucky At Your Service is the first shopping application of its kind.  Shop Lucky Magazine’s favorite products on the iPhone and then the app will track down the product closest nearby, check availability, and place them on hold to try on or to pick up same day.  The apps’ main feature is the concierge service that checks the availability and then gets back to the user within ten minutes via email or text!  The app currently features only handbags and shoes, but will most likely expand in the future.

I♥Concerts is for music enthusiasts everywhere or anyone looking to discover new music in their area or while visiting a new city.  This application searches concerts and shows within 50 miles of current location.  The application also shows listings up to two weeks in advance and allows the user to click on each band listed to find out more information about them prior to the show. There are also maps to over 11,000 venues in 4,500 cities worldwide with more being added.

StaySafe takes a note from websites that allow one to enter their address and look up all sex offenders living in close proximity by doing the same thing using location awareness.  This application tracks sex offenders in all 50 states and analyzes the risk at a user’s precise location. StaySafe shows pictures and descriptions of every offender and tells what offenses they have committed.   This application is ideal when searching for a new home or apartment, figuring out a new jogging route, and knowing the safety of local parks.

By Courtney Teeling