Apple was awarded a patent on Tuesday for a technology that should allow for much more accurate indoor location detection and mapping, even in the absence of GPS. The new patent, which was picked up by Apple Insider, uses a combination of Wi-Fi access points, location databases and other data to determine proximity to what the patent called “presence areas.” It then analyzes various data such as Wi-Fi signal strength and building architecture to determine a more precise location.
GPS often fails to provide accurate location data for when your are indoors, so this patent could help alleviate that problem.
Apple has also shown interest in improved indoor mapping in the past. With iOS 7, it added support for iBeacons, which use Bluetooth LE to accurately determine location. Apple recently began using iBeacons in its own retail stores to send notifications to shoppers.
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This new Location feature which does not need GPS would be great for phone and tablet users who have GPS turned off to save battery power by turning off GPS, make their phone faster by not having GPS running in the background, and turn off GPS because of privacy concerns from the government, spy, and spyware using GPS to spy on their location.
Amazing that a Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth signals can be used to find out a phone's or tablet's location.
GPS often fails to provide accurate location data for when your are indoors, so this patent could help alleviate that problem.
Apple has also shown interest in improved indoor mapping in the past. With iOS 7, it added support for iBeacons, which use Bluetooth LE to accurately determine location. Apple recently began using iBeacons in its own retail stores to send notifications to shoppers.
Read More
This new Location feature which does not need GPS would be great for phone and tablet users who have GPS turned off to save battery power by turning off GPS, make their phone faster by not having GPS running in the background, and turn off GPS because of privacy concerns from the government, spy, and spyware using GPS to spy on their location.
Amazing that a Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth signals can be used to find out a phone's or tablet's location.
