Moto Dumping Google Location based services

Pliablemoose

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
25,195
0
56
http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/26/motorola-gives-google-the-boot-turns-to-skyhook-for-location-se/

Skyhook Wireless Announces First Platform Integration Of Location System On Motorola Android-Based Devices

Skyhook provides Motorola's Android-based devices with enhanced location performance worldwide

BOSTON, MA – April 27, 2010 - Skyhook Wireless, the worldwide leader in location positioning, context and intelligence, today announced that Motorola, Inc. will deploy its Core Location across much of the company's portfolio of Android-based mobile devices. Skyhook-enabled Motorola smartphones, which will begin shipping later this year, will have the ability to better support a new wave of location-aware applications by leveraging Skyhook's precise, reliable, and fast-performing location engine.

Location is at the center of an extraordinary explosion of mobile innovation, and is fundamental to many emerging mobile services. Today there are thousands of mobile applications that incorporate location as a part of their user experience. Precise location enables consumers to check-in with friends, find nearby concerts and exhibits, or get directions to the destinations of their choice. For some experiences, such as turn-by-turn navigation or local search, location is the central feature, but increasingly, new types of applications in music, sports, and entertainment are incorporating location to personalize content delivery.

"Motorola is committed to providing rich location services for our customers and developer partners," said Christy Wyatt, corporate vice president of software and services product management for Motorola Mobile Devices. "Precise location is central to the mobile experience, and Skyhook's Core Location will enhance Motorola's Android-based mobile devices with its innovative location technology."

Skyhook is the recognized leader in mobile location technology and produces over three hundred million location requests every day over tens of millions of mobile devices. The ground-breaking Core Location uses a combination of Wi-Fi, cellular and GPS readings in order to produce a single, accurate location quickly and in all environments.

"Motorola is creating ground-breaking and innovative mobile devices," said Ted Morgan, CEO, Skyhook Wireless. "Skyhook is excited to further enhance the location accuracy and availability of these devices."

About Skyhook Wireless

Skyhook is the worldwide leader in location positioning, context and intelligence. In 2003, Skyhook pioneered the development of the Wi-Fi Positioning System to provide precise and reliable location results in urban areas. Today, Skyhook's Core Location provides positioning to tens of millions of consumer mobile devices and applications. For more information visit www.skyhookwireless.com.

Interesting, Moto is dumping one of the best features of Android IMHO...
 
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MJinZ

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2009
8,192
0
0
Uh... I don't think it affect Google Apps, just location services..
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
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I don't think its really a big deal from an end-user perspective - skyhook is just the location service in the background. They probably planted a large amount of money under Moto's nose to do this. Isn't skyhook what the iPhone uses?

Anyway, this is as big a blow (or bigger) to Google than if they actually replaced maps. We all know Google makes money on their expanse of data - and location services are another source of data for them.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
I'm all for it if it gets the location better. I've had Google think that I'm miles away from where I can. Kind of a PITA when trying to order pizza.

Also...lattitude sucks. 1/2 the time it thinks I'm in Australia.
 

Slick5150

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2001
8,760
3
81
I'm all for it if it gets the location better. I've had Google think that I'm miles away from where I can. Kind of a PITA when trying to order pizza.

Also...lattitude sucks. 1/2 the time it thinks I'm in Australia.

That's likely because your phone isn't getting a GPS lock, so google just triangulates your position based off the strength of signal you're getting from different cell towers nearby. It's obviously not nearly as precise as GPS, but is a pretty cool way of getting around the issue of having no GPS signal for whatever reason.
 

Rottie

Diamond Member
Feb 10, 2002
4,795
2
81
iPhone should have dumped Google location based service in favor for skyhook long time ago