Native Mobile apps and web apps with locative features are being hailed as the next big thing in Interactive Media. Multi-touch user interactions using GPS, Gyroscopes and Web services are at the forefront of interactive media technology.
In this article, I will explore some of the latest apps, how the technology works and what implications they have on more conventional interactive media folk such as web designers, programmers and digital agencies.
Why Locative Media?
Global sales of smartphones increased by 50% during Q2 2010 and it is no secret that mobile Web access via laptops and phones will overtake the desktop by 2015 (according to the ITU). But there is a more important silent revolution happening. Locative Media is becoming increasingly integral to ‘new’ interactive media and into the app economy. Even desktop browsers such as Opera now include geo location and locative functionality. Certain websites are now using locative media – and so are plenty of mobile apps.
A Snapshot of Locative Media Apps
Gowalla and Foursquare are two mobile apps with gaming like rewards that take the technology one step further. The apps broadcast your location to social networks enabling all of your friends to see what pub you ‘crawled’ into. In addition, apps such as Lonely Planet’s new Android app introduce augmented reality experiences when you visit physical locations in major cities.
If you are out, you can use mobile apps such as Nru (Near You) from Last Minute.com to find the nearest attractions in the area. Looking for the best Italian? Simply use the touch screen interface to select the relevant category and results appear instantly. Nru is a clever app; it uses the smartphone’s built-in compass technology and a lifestyle database from Qype. Brands like Lastminute.com can now offer both conventional website experience and locative mobile app experience. This is clearly a good thing for the brand and increases user engagement.
There is a massive demand amongst brands and clients requesting dedicated mobile apps which are genuinely useful for the end user. For example, developers in Seattle have already created an app ‘One Bus Away’ that tells you when the next bus will arrive saving users invaluable time.
The Technology
The current generation of smartphones pack in some incredible technology. GPS mobile phone technology has been around for 4-5 years and identifies where the user is located globally. This allows software developers to broadcast your location to a web service which in turn allows the app to react accordingly.
For the latest generation of smartphones, there is the Gyroscope. This piece of technology is aware of the direction you are pointing your phone in and detects your orientation. Working with the Gyroscope is the Accelerometer which figures out the speed in which users change their movement. Other cutting-edge technologies in mobiles include HD cameras, ambient light sensors and proximity detectors.
The ‘Layar’ Augmented Reality (AR) App on the Android and iPhone platforms utilises the latest location based technology to create its own interface: The Layar Reality Browser. It uses the phone’s camera, GPS and Gyroscope and overlays relevant layers (that you choose) on the phone’s screen. You can manipulate the interface to view the history of landmarks in real-time, find users who are tweeting ‘live’ in your area and find restaurants all with an augmented reality like experience.
Implications for Interactive Media professionals
Where does all of this leave interactive media professionals? There is no need to panic – we are already seeing the desktop and laptop embrace locative functionality. Opera, like Google Chrome and FireFox, are supporting the W3C’s geolocation API which enables desktops and laptops to broadcast location. This unleashes more opportunities such as ‘photo tagging’, location based form ‘fill-ins’ and extra geo-information for social networks when users next log in.
Traditional PC’s and laptops will continue to be used for many years to come as they have a huge advantage in immersing users with information more quickly and being less fidgety to navigate and type on. Many of us will also be creating new apps and ‘spin offs’ of existing websites for iPads and other HTML5 interfaces, reusing existing content.
There are of course dilemmas and pitfalls involved with app development; Do you produce native apps or Web apps? If you go for native apps, should they be specific to iPhone, Android or another platform?
Web apps VS Native apps
Below is a chart which highlights the pros and cons of each type of app: 
Conclusion
Brands and agencies can all leverage the huge opportunities of locative media. No matter what industry you are in, there is an app being developed or one that could be developed with location based technology to engage users in a new dimension. According to Tech Crunch, it took Foursquare’s locative mobile (native) app just over a year to get one million users, with some 120,000 new users signing up in just 10 days (straight after a developer’s conference).
On the 8th September 2010 Danny will be talking about common mistakes in interactive media production.
Locative Media