Yahoo Expands LBS Offerings, Integrates GPS

location based services

Jun 21, 2007
GPS World
Perhaps feeling threatened by rival Google and LBS service providers' use of Google Maps, Internet portal and search engine Yahoo said this week its latest software for mobile devices would feature GPS functionality, and announced an expansion of its mobile services beyond the United States.
Yahoo offers a suite of mobile programs packaged in its Yahoo Go for Mobile software; it plans to release version 2.0 of the suite this Friday for use in the United States. It first released a beta version last January. It is available on various models of phones offered by carriers Alltel, ATT/Cingular, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon, including Blackberries and Windows Mobile-based devices.
Among the services in the package is oneSearch, which includes access to news, Web images, financial information, weather conditions, Flickr, and Web and mobile Web sites, as well as navigation services. Users can enter the name of a business or the type of business they are looking for and it provides nearby listings with maps based on the user's location; users can click on a listing to get details including address, distance, cross streets, directions, and phone number.
Yahoo says Go 2.0 will incorporate improved mapping with both satellite and hybrid maps available, as well as navigation including current traffic conditions. It will also give users the option to enable the software to utilize the GPS technology embedded in a users' device for its location-based services, the company says.
In addition to releasing Go for Mobile 2.0 in the United States, Yahoo said it was offering localized beta versions of the software in 13 other countries: Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, Thailand, and Vietnam. These localized versions will incorporate much of the functionality found in the U.S. version including oneSearch, the company said; it will initially be available on some 200 different models of mobile phone, with plans to expand to 400.
Yahoo also announced that it had signed partnership agreements with six major mobile operators across Asia, representing a combined subscriber base of nearly 100 million. These new partnerships focus specifically on distribution of Yahoo's oneSearch mobile service, which it launched in Asia last month.
The new mobile operators include: Globe Telecom (Philippines), Idea Cellular Limited (India), LG Telecom (Korea), Maxis Communications Berhad (Malaysia), PT Telekomunikasi Selular "Telkomsel" (Indonesia), and Taiwan Mobile (Taiwan). These strategic partnerships demonstrate Yahoo!'s commitment to becoming number one in mobile services and establishes the company's strong early leadership position across Asia in mobile audience reach, mobile search services and mobile monetization, the company said.
"These partnerships with leading operators in Asia help extend Yahoo's clear leadership in the mobile space," said David Ko, Yahoo Asia vice president and general manager. "Partners are essential to our consumer-centric mobile strategy and key relationships will continue to evolve and deliver great Internet experiences to our respective customers.”