Location based services (LBS) are set to fuel the next wave in social networking. These are services offered through a mobile phone that takes into account the device’s geographical location, typically provide information or entertainment. These services are largely dependent on the mobile-user’s location through which the service provider determines the user’s location in order to offer suggestions and services. Popular LBS services include but are not limited to local news, directions, fleet management, emergency, asset tracking, local advertisement, games and augmented reality (AR). For example, it assists a user by suggesting nearby restaurants or can be used to send an SMS informing the user about a sale at a nearby shopping mall.
As a result, the global location based services market is set to grow by leaps and bounds in terms of CAGR over the next five years. Looking for the top location based services providers in 2017-21, are you? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with the list of service providers that are making location sharing a worldwide phenomenon.
Alibaba
The Alibaba Group is involved in online and mobile commerce. In the LBS market it operates through its unit, AutoNavi, a provider of digital map, navigation, and LBS in China, offering products with features such as route planning, travel navigation, offline map and 360-degree view, offering a broad range of LBS for SMEs and large enterprises. It recently launched Buy+ virtual shopping experience, that helps retailers to create a personalized experience for each customer using the data it receives through e-commerce, payments, social sharing and LBS.
Apple
Apple manufactures and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, portable digital music players and an extensive variety of related software, accessories, networking solutions, as well as third-party digital content and applications globally. It has established its presence in the LBS market with the Indoor maps and 3D digital maps enabled with turn-by-turn spoken directions, interactive 3D views, and flyover features.
Foursquare
Foursquare develops mobile applications that allow users to check-in and share real-time location with friends. It has established its presence in the LBS market through its app that helps users to access a database with information regarding food, shopping and entertainment, allowing it to interact with other users and merchants.
Google is a multinational corporation that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which includes online advertising technologies, search engine, cloud computing, and software. It offers a broad range of LBS solutions, for example, Google Maps provides useful information, such as the location of ATMs, restaurants, and fuel stations, based on the site of the users. Other LBS services offered by them are Google Now, Google Maps, Google Search and knowledge graph among others.
HERE
HERE offers maps and location experiences on multiple screens and OS. It also provides mobile, web and enterprise solutions. It offers its products and services to end-markets such as automotive, mobile and internet, commerce, as well as consumer electronics sectors. In addition, HERE provides HERE Platform for business, a location cloud solution that is provided as SaaS.
Aisle411
Aisle 411 is a trusted indoor location services platform for global leading retailers and venue owners, offering value to the facilities management, digital, marketing and loyalty teams. The company provides mobile retail navigation services and a social shopping platform, which helps shoppers find the required services and receive reward points.
Baidu
Baidu provides internet search services, which help users find information including webpages, images, news, documents, and multimedia files. It offers LBS services to locals travelling abroad with local searches and services including bookings, reviews, travel information and solution to users before, during and after the trips both inside and outside of china.
Dianping
Dianping was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China. It hosts consumer reviews on local services and information on merchants, offering online restaurant reservation services, e-coupon promotions, and LBS. It provides a guide that covers topics on food, recreation, movies, hotels, travel, beauty, domestic services and shopping.
NavInfo
NavInfo is china’s leading provider of digital maps, telematics and dynamic traffic information service and the big data vertical application service based on positions. Its digital map has consistently led China’s in-dash navigation market for ages, with majority of automaker clients such as BMW, VW, Mercedes-Benz, GM, Volvo, Ford and Toyota among others.
Etisalat
Etisalat, along with its subsidiaries, offers telecommunications services, media services, and related equipment worldwide. It provides facilities management services in sectors such as telecommunications, hospitality, IT, education, and aviation. These services assist customers to find locations of places around them visually with the help of indicative maps. It helps the users to find the nearest restaurants, hotels or shopping centers in and around their present geographical location.
Facebook is a networking company that offers development tools and application programming interface for the creation of mobile and web applications. Facebook Places, as it is known, marks the company’s first foray into the LBS market, which is gaining popularity with users who want to share where they shop, eat or play.
What are you waiting for? If you’re not using the location based services yet, then it is high time you get on board. According to our team of experts, the global location based services market is set to become the next big thing in the social space. Want to know more about this dynamic and ever-growing industry and what drives its growth? Download the FREE sample or even better, ask us for a customized report, made just for you!
