Many of us have been saying it for a long time: location based services are the future. But up until now they’ve been a distant, hazy future, because they’ve been so difficult to use. That’s going to change soon, and it looks like Google is going to be leading the way.
Google has just announced that it has become the default location provider service in Firefox, which means beginning in the latest Firefox Beta (available here) users will be able to update their location from their web browser without having to install an extra plugins or programs through Google. This is big.
Location based services take a lot of flack for their privacy issues, but so far the biggest obstacle in their acceptance has been that they’re a huge pain to use, typically requiring extra browser plugins and annoying sign-up processes. The new version of Firefox is probably going to change that, at least for desktop browsers, because it will have location detection baked in. Up until now it seemed like Mozilla was going to be using Geode, a plugin it first annouced back in October, as its default location provider.
The switch to Google is obviously a big win for Google Latitude, and it will also likely give Google access to volumes of local data that will allow it to offer hyper-targeted advertising to businesses (or maybe not, at least for now – see below). As with Google’s search deal with Mozilla, which was recently extended through 2011, I suspect Google is paying a pretty penny for the right to be the browser’s default provider. In 2006, that search deal alone reportedly accounted for $57 million, or around 85% of Mozilla’s total revenue.
Update: Mozilla says that there is no money changing hands in this case, and that it is totally unrelated to the search deal. Mozilla wanted to break the ‘chicken and the egg’ problem of location, and decided to go with Google because they saw eye-to-eye on privacy issues.
Update 2: Google says that the data isn’t currently being used for advertising purposes (at least for now), and that this is really about getting location-based functionality deployed to the web. But even without the advertising dollars, there is one very major upside: Google is going to be able to perfect its location database, with millions of users tapping into it on a daily basis. And that database is going to be extremely valuable going forward.
Google’s plans extend well beyond the Firefox browser, too. Internet Explorer is still the dominant browser on the web, and Google recently released an update to its Toolbar which includes the same location detection service as Firefox will. Of course, users will still have to download the plugin, which makes the barrier to entry significantly higher than it will be on Firefox.
This is big, but what about mobile?
No money changing hands, really? I thought earlier they admitted that Firefox was being paid to use Google as a default search engine in the search engine box built into the browser?
Mozilla is so stupid, ok? Why would Mozilla put more of its eggs in Google’s hen-house when Google is trying to knock the snocolate out of Firefox? I would like to punch their stupid face, ok? Such is the word of Sanjay.
hmm…
why is this big?
given the issues surrounding privacy, i’m willing to bet that the location feature will have to be opt-in. requiring a user to turn it on. and if this is actually the case, how is it any different than a plug-in..
ease up on the hype guys…
peace
No money specifically changed hands, sure. But didn’t Mozilla already sell out to Google with the search engine deal? And isn’t Google doing this because location is great for advertising and search? And if they make more money on search via Mozilla, Mozilla makes more money?
Its a joke.
And so is the idea of privacy. Google is already tracking users via Android and now they are going to track everybody via Mozilla.
Well Google can shut their stupid face, ok? They won’t track me or I will be on them like flies on the backside of a monkey, ok? Location on workstations is completely stupidiculous unless people are going to carry around their PC’s. What?! Such is the word from Sanjay.
How about the fact that Google Latitude’s coverage and accuracy are far inferior to Skyhook’s Geode? Seems like a highly questionable move by Mozilla to opt for the lower quality alternative, especially when a superior product was already implemented.
I agree. Location information will become ubiquitous before it becomes useful. This is no big deal. The world will pass tc by, as they continue to report how important location is.
It’s true, Google has the best privacy rep on the Webs. Look at my house on Street View if you don’t believe me, there are some great pictures of my privacy on there.
Seems to me like the issue is less that it’s easy to use and more that users don’t have a simple way to control their privacy. How about an on-off switch? Or perhaps privacy settings for sharing that kind of info to only certain types of users?
You guys with privacy issues need to read the earlier TC post specifically about Google Latitude.
It covers all your concerns: http://www.tech...google-latitude
Maybe firefox should file an IPO, too? it would be worth 10 billion due to its huge growth in the browser market. It may even supplant Microsoft. keep buying the dips http://iamned.com/blog/ and stop complaining about fake recession
Looks like I will be looking for a new browser then. Unless they make it a plug in that I can avoid.
Looks like Google and Firefox are being evil now.
next time you walk into a department store, make sure you’re wearing a boiler suit with a bag on your head so the store assistant doesn’t know your age or sex..that way you’ll get great service.
Why on earth would anyone care that google knows where they’re searching/browsing from? Aside from targetting search ads..what on earth is going to happen that’s so bad.
If I were you, i wouldn’t use a landline either..you don’t want the phone company knowing where you’re calling from either.
For the sake of humanity……
….lose the “This is big.”
Is FireFox the new Phorm?
Now I understand why Mozilla lost its steam to Webkit.
Why will Firefox have Google search if there is no money involve and now this. It just doesn’t look more then a way to collect as much data as possible that can help google in their advertising strategy.
http://www.ekhi...-rule-the-world
Tina
Windows 7 on October 23 — what that means for Open Source
According to El Reg,
“Acer, the world’s joint second largest manufacturer of PCs, has reportedly given October 23 as the date when Microsoft’s successor to Windows Vista will become available.”
If that date is confirmed, it would be very nice if Canonical could announce a new Ubuntu release on the exact same day.
The reason is simple:
All the news and articles that would talk about Windows 7 will start to mention the free, open source alternative. David vs. Goliath, what a story! Ubuntu 9.10 will surf on Windows 7 waves.
What that means to Open Source
Ubuntu 9.04 is one of the best Linux desktops ever released. It has the usability you expect from a modern Operating System, and is very light in comparison to Windows or Macs.
Canonical should use the following months to polish Ubuntu. Don’t add new features — think of Ubuntu 9.04 as “Ubuntu 9 RC1″, competing with “Windows 7 RC1″.
But Ubuntu also depends on its partners.
Firefox, for instance. Version 3.0 was fast and snappy when released. But now, after months of development, it is starting to crash more ofter than I’d like.
Don’t get me wrong: Firefox is miles ahead of Internet Explorer 8. When comparing Windows 7 to Ubuntu, users will be also comparing Internet Explorer to Firefox — and Ubuntu wins.
But we don’t have much time to fix the problems, so Mozilla Foundation should stop working on new features and focus on performance and stability.
Feature freeze now.
We have a great Release Candidate.
When Microsoft releases Windows 7, we’ll have the best Linux desktop, ever.
http://capitao-...that-means.html
If this kicks off I will certainly change browser.
Wow, way to go there Firefox! You go boi! LOL
RT
http://www.anonymity.ru.tc
As others have said, this sounds really, really ominous to me; if it becomes a default feature there’s no way I’ll continue using Firefox.
I dont think this is big, its just a new future in ff.
So is there any conflict of interest with Google Chrome?
I only read this because I wanted to know, what the hell are location based services. And I came out disappointed.
any idea how to activate it? i wanna use this.
any idea how to activate it? i wanna use this.
My impression here is that Mozilla chose Google because they were more in line with respect to their privacy policies. I had more respect for Mozilla.
I had more respect for Mozilla.
I only read this because I wanted to know, what the hell are location based services. And I came out disappointed.
This does bring up a case of privacy issues. It is very nice that they can track location with Google Latitude, but there are always going to be skeptics out there.