Google has finally gotten around to launching its location-based network, Latitude on the iPhone. The service, which has been around for months on the web and Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile devices may finally be ready to take off now that it’s on the hottest smartphone on the market. But there’s a problem — and it’s a big one.
Latitude, like all other third-party iPhone apps, cannot run in the background on the device.
While you might think this would be extremely obvious, there is a big difference between Latitude and many of the other apps built for the iPhone: Latitude is entirely browser-based. Yes, there is no native Latitude app, and there was some thought that since the mobile version of Safari on the iPhone can technically run in the background, that maybe it would allow apps like Latitude to also do the same. Sadly, that is not the case.
Unfortunately, since there is no mechanism for applications to run in the background on iPhone (which applies to browser-based web apps as well), we’re not able to provide continuous background location updates in the same way that we can for Latitude users on Android, Blackberry, Symbian and Window Mobile. Nevertheless, your location is updated every time you fire up the app and then continuously updated while the app is running in the foreground.
And so we very well could see Latitude stagnate in the same pool the other location-based iPhone services are in, because they cannot do location in the background. That’s too bad, because there’s a lot of potential here.
It became clear last week that Latitude was about to launch on the iPhone when Google unveiled Location for the mobile Safari browser. That feature allowed you to click a button on Google’s homepage and access the iPhone’s location services. Now you do the same to get your location piped into Latitude.
You can find it on your iPhone simply by directing your browser here: http://google.com/latitude. As with all other web apps, you can create an icon on your main iPhone screen, simply hitting the bookmarks button (the “+” sign in your browser).
Despite Latitude and Gmail remaining web-only apps for the iPhone, Google says it remains committed to making native apps for the device where it sees fit as well. It also notes that it was Apple who thought it would be best to have Latitude as a web app for the device. Interesting.
We worked closely with Apple to bring Latitude to the iPhone in a way Apple thought would be best for iPhone users. After we developed a Latitude application for the iPhone, Apple requested we release Latitude as a web application in order to avoid confusion with Maps on the iPhone, which uses Google to serve maps tiles.
That begs the question: Why not just have Latitude as an option built-in to the Maps application? I’m betting that eventually we may see that. And, if I really want to go out on a limb, I’m wondering if Apple wouldn’t allow Latitude running on Maps to eventually run in the background. We know it is definitely thinking about how to solve the background issue.
Despite being browser-based, Latitude on the iPhone does appear to run really smoothly. And it has a nice overlaid menu system to do things like search or show traffic on your map.
When will this be out for Pre?
Latitude is worthless unless it can run in the background. Huge Fail Google/Apple!
+1
+40 Million (the number of stupid iPhone users)
hahaha… cant stop laughing at poor Americans..
+1
Thats a terrible excuse from Apple. Latitude would have been a easy addition to the current Google maps application. I dont see where the “confusion” comes in. So we can handle this type of technology on a Android, Blackberry, Symbian and Window Mobile device. Bad move on Apple part for requesting Google to release it as a web app.
i suspect they have location services in the works for their own, sub-par online services (mobile me).
evidence:
http://www.appl...-at-wwdc09.html
>Latitude would have been a easy addition to the current Google maps application.
Says the guy not doing development for Apple.
The same argument could have been made for Loopd a year ago. Apple will handle this when they’re good & ready for it. Bending over for isn’t a good policy.
>Bending over for isn’t a good policy.
Bending over for app developers isn’t a good policy.
How ridiculous. You can use it to see where your friends are, but they can only see where you are when you have it open and running in the foreground. Besides, iPhone owners can already see where their latitude friends are by visiting http://www.google.com/m/ig Just pathetic.
Let me guess, the next great iPhone feature will be ‘pull notifications’ to allow gps coordinates to be sent without launching an app.
I keep thinking apple will outline a process for getting multi-tasking apps approved, but apparently this isn’t going to happen and I will probably never own an iPhone.
This is a creep app. Just saying.
Actually, if you are jailbroken, it might. Although I’m not sure I would want to do this because of the power consumption. But I’ll give it a try tonight and see what happens.
What we’re seeing now is the Achilles heel of the iPhone.
It’s the battery.
It’s been there all along, but hasn’t been a big issue because we’ve all been just waiting for what seems like minor enhancements.
But I don’t think we’ll ever see true push technology (or backgrounding) because it would immediately show the limitations of the device.
I’ve had every version of iPhone, and recently got the Google I/O Android. Say what you want about Android’s features vs iPhone, but it handles push/background a million times better than the iPhone. It was sobering.
I just don’t think the iPhone will ever get there. Apple’s playing smoke and mirrors with battery life extending tricks. The reality is it just plain can’t do it.
What do you mean “it just plain can’t do it”? On jailbroken iPhone you can get background processes. It is not because iPhone can’t do background processes, safari, phone, ipod all run in the background. It is partly because of battery life.
Since you sound like you have the experience, why don’t you tell us how the Android battery life compares, and which model phone you have? We’ve all heard the G1 battery life is terrible and actually the worst part of the phone.
There is also an iPhone App out “BindoGPS” which can track your friend live.
The next release will have Push notifications, so you can easily ask your friends to update their location.
The best part is how I can know you aren’t home so I can rob your house.
good bad thinking
Why would you rob a friend’s house? This isn’t broadcasting to the public!
Push technology for the iPhone won’t come anytime soon but that’s one of their biggest problems. Like a commenter above said, one of the main factors is the battery life. It’s the same reason why Palm Pre dies after 5 hour of use, all the apps running in the background. I wish Apple could workout something and this can take off or have Google create an actual app, not a web based one. I guess like most things with Apple, we’ll have to wait and see. http://ziggytek.com/
anyone tried safari latitude as a background process on a jailbroken iphone?
I am using Safari with “Backgrounder” from BigBoss. Just leave the latitude page open and send Safari to the “background”. It seems to work well. My position is constantly updated.
+1
It does appear to be updating while Safari runs in the background.
This is me procrastinating: I decided to do a write-up on getting Google Latitude to run in the background on the iPhone (http://marctytu...round-on-iPhone)
Added this to my iPhone Homescreen, how do I view my location online as iGoogle gadget isn’t updating for me at the moment?
People will really appreciate if apple can open all their prototype for making iPhone applications.
I would love to have google voice on iphone.
We are researchers studying people’s attitudes towards Google Latitude. If you have heard of Google Latitude (whether you have used it or not) and are at least 18 years old, we would like to talk with you. Please email us back at ucistudy@ics.uci.edu .
We are conducting this research under the Institute for Software Research at the University of California, Irvine.