Maybe the iPhone Will Have GPS and Wi-Fi
- From: Sam Wormley <swormley1@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:21:16 GMT
Maybe the iPhone Will Have GPS and Wi-Fi
http://mg.gpsworld.com/gpsmg/content/printContentPopup.jsp?id=521218
Jun 3, 2008
GPS World
Apple fans and the mobile phone industry are abuzz with rumors that the next-generation iPhone will incorporate GPS technology — from the fact that Apple is hiring RF systems engineers to unnamed sources claiming to have seen the specs or naming who will provide the GPS silicon.
GPS World will soon publish a lengthy interview with Ted Morgan, Skyhook Wireless CEO and founder, conducted by our own Don Jewell. Skyhook provides the Wi-Fi positioning technology used in the current edition of the iPhone. Naturally, Jewell discussed GPS, Wi-Fi positioning, and the iPhone with Morgan.
"Our hope is that when the new iPhone comes out, if it does have GPS embedded, that Apple will combine the two location systems seamlessly and it will be transparent to the user," Morgan told Jewell. He went on to explain why this would offer the best of both worlds.
"When you are out on the open road GPS works well, and the Wi-Fi capability works equally as well in urban areas as well as indoors, and it provides you with a fix in less than a second. So you have the best of both worlds. You can do things like geotagging images and quick local searches without having to wait for GPS to synchronize," Morgan continued. "Skyhook employs about 400 people currently that literally drive up down city streets in all parts of the United States, and internationally as well, with specialized equipment that includes a GPS receiver, looking for Wi-Fi signals. To date they have mapped about 50,000,000 access points around the world. The coverage actually begins to look like cellular coverage.
"Because of the way the Skyhook system is put together, it adds a ton of attributes and value to existing positioning systems and technologies like GPS," he said. "It complements them because it is available where GPS is not. Most everything we are focused on right now is at the hybrid level. We are always looking for new algorithms that can combine different location resources together," Morgan concluded.
With the annual Apple World Wide Developers Conference slated to get underway next week on June 9, Apple fans are anticipating announcements Apple will make at the conference. Of course, everyone expects that Apple will reveal details about the next-generation iPhone.
"I think you are going to see a renewed consumer-based interest in all things location based as Apple makes its announcements this month," Morgan said. "I think there will be a lot more location-based applications launched, because of Apple, as the next generation iPhone and iTouch are made available in the next few weeks.
"We believe that Apple will more fully open-up the iPhone and the iTouch for developers and we are aware of hundreds of developers that are just waiting for that opportunity," he continued. "We know of a couple hundred developers that are building location-based services around these devices. It will open people's eyes to all the things that can be done today. There is just so much that remains to be accomplished in this arena."
Look for the full interview with Morgan to appear on GPS World's military and government portal in the coming days.
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