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Google Latitude Web App for iPhone Now Available

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,551
30,872


Google today announced that it has launched Google Latitude for the iPhone and iPod touch. Google Latitude, which runs as a web app in Safari, utilizes GPS and Wi-Fi geolocation to display the real-time location of a user's friends and to allow others to track their location. Privacy settings allow users to customize which contacts are permitted to see their location.

To try Google Latitude, type google.com/latitude into your iPhone's browser. And if you miss the experience of launching the app directly from your home screen, you can add a bookmark to the home screen by opening Latitude in Safari and tapping the + icon > Add to Home Screen > Add.
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Google also reveals that Apple requested that Latitude be offered as a web app rather than a standalone application in order to reduce confusion with the standard Maps application available on the iPhone.

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.
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Finally, Google notes that due to Apple's restriction on background applications, Google Latitude is unable to provide continuous location updates as it does on other mobile platforms, although it does automatically refresh locations upon launching and while open.

Google Latitude for the iPhone and iPod touch requires iPhone OS 3.0 and is now available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and it have plans to extend the service to other countries in the near future.

Article Link: Google Latitude Web App for iPhone Now Available
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2009/07/23/google-latitude-web-app-for-iphone-now-available/
N

neilgehrke

macrumors newbie
Jul 23, 2009
8
0
Doesn't work. Followed directions given, latitude tab in google has an all white blank page only. lame:mad:
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
That is BS. Apple's Map app is google maps and yet Latitude is going to be web based? Weak is right.
 
S

snowpuff

macrumors newbie
Feb 10, 2009
13
0
utter fail! i sent a tweet back to googlemaps (they are the ones who announced it today) saying that they were weak for giving in. this doesnt make any sense as a webapp... it should have been integrated into maps and connected to your contacts, etc etc (as others have said)

for everything google does -right- they do much -wrong-
 
danpass

danpass

macrumors 68030
Jun 27, 2009
2,691
479
Glory
the moment the phone rings you're off the grid.


being on the grid is the point of the "app" lol :rolleyes:
 
W

WiRi1113

macrumors newbie
Jul 23, 2009
1
0
I agree with all the above (and probably below) comments, this version of Latitude is a complete weak-sauce. Sticking to Hey, Where Are You (HeyWAY) app for now.
 
GoCubsGo

GoCubsGo

macrumors Nehalem
Feb 19, 2005
35,741
153
snowpuff said:
utter fail! i sent a tweet back to googlemaps (they are the ones who announced it today) saying that they were weak for giving in. this doesnt make any sense as a webapp... it should have been integrated into maps and connected to your contacts, etc etc (as others have said)

for everything google does -right- they do much -wrong-
Click to expand...

Hey buddy read the article. It was Apple and their forceful nature of making google turn this into a web app so as to not compete with the map app that is powered by google (technically).
 
B

bretm

macrumors 68000
Apr 12, 2002
1,951
27
jessica. said:
Hey buddy read the article. It was Apple and their forceful nature of making google turn this into a web app so as to not compete with the map app that is powered by google (technically).
Click to expand...

Well google thinks web apps are the future for mobile devices and NOT app stores. Uh-huh. Look how well received they are already.
 
maverick808

maverick808

macrumors 65816
Jun 30, 2004
1,142
150
Scotland
The app sucks ass and it's completely Apple's fault for not allowing apps to run in the background. This app is a perfect example of why push notifications will never be able to replace the ability to run in the background, which every other major mobile platform allows. Shame on Apple on this one.
 
C

Cambrian

macrumors newbie
Jul 24, 2009
4
0
Pants!

This absolutely should be worked into Maps.

My maps get my exact location, but Latitude is half a mile off, and hellish slow!

Come on Apple, get it sorted!
 
N

neil1980

macrumors 6502
Nov 1, 2008
422
19
Was looking forward to this but without it updating in the background its pretty pointless.

Whos going to leave their iphone in safari all day? the battery is bad enough as it is :(
 
M

mdominguezmd

macrumors newbie
Jul 9, 2008
6
3
San Antonio, TX
Adding Friends Problems

This web app sure doesn't have a "ready for primetime" function. Trying to add friends fails most of the time.

An integrated app would have made much more sense.

I doubt it will be worth the space on my iPhone.
 
zombitronic

zombitronic

macrumors 65816
Feb 9, 2007
1,127
39
I tried Latitude last night. When I was done I closed Safari but I did not specifically close the Latitude window. I plugged my phone in and went to bed. When I woke up this morning, my phone felt warmer than usual, especially sine it wasn't being used. I was a bit concerned but I unplugged it and went to work. I just checked my phone and it was still warm. My battery is also down to 70% and it was just fully charged an hour and a half ago. I haven't been using the phone. I just closed the window with Latitude and now my phone seems to be cooler. If my battery isn't at 40% in another hour and a half, I think I'm blaming latitude for being a battery vampire. This doesn't make sense to me because:

MacRumors said:
Google notes that due to Apple's restriction on background applications, Google Latitude is unable to provide continuous location updates as it does on other mobile platforms, although it does automatically refresh locations upon launching and while open.
Click to expand...

However, this is the only change in my phone usage. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
 
imac abuser

imac abuser

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2004
631
1
Yeah this blows, I've been chomping at the bit for this. Because I'm not 100% happy with loopt, but loopt wins for now. I don't like the web based apps. I want a stand alone app, or intergration into maps that would make it cool!

Apple your sucking lately
 
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