Social Location On Mobile Phones: A Niche But Promising Trend

Social location is an emerging concept built on principles that are at the heart of mobile's DNA. It results from the combination of two key trends: the growing interest in geo-localized offerings, and the expansion of social networking in the mobile space that taps into the communication needs of the younger generation. Nineteen percent of Europeans who used navigation/GPS functionalities and mapping applications on their mobile phone in the past month have also visited a social networking site on their mobile phones. However, only 2% of mobile phone owners in Europe use these types of services. To move beyond a niche offering, product strategy professionals in all parts of the mobile ecosystem must work together to offer simplicity, relevance, and trust.