As our smartphones become greater hubs of information, sometimes we find that once-innovative technologies suddenly seem a little out of date. Take location services, for example. Qualcomm® has been working hard to bring location services beyond just a point on a map and turn-by-turn directions, and has added indoor location features to the Qualcomm IZat™ family.
If you have a newer model LG smartphone, such as the LG G3, then you can find our new easy-to-use digital concierge technology right in your settings. If you have any other device, don’t worry, Qualcomm IZat indoor location technology could come to you soon, and unlock the full potential of location services.
One catch: as of now, IZat indoor location only functions in South Korea. Currently, twenty-one malls and a growing number of locales support the phone’s indoor location features by providing the exact location of their wireless access points. IZat indoor location is an option for every device manufacturer that uses Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ processors or Qualcomm Gobi™ modems, so it may soon be part of your next smartphone, too.
IZat represents the next step in contextual search, bringing geolocation beyond just where and when something is happening, to what and even who might be available to join. Depending on your privacy and security settings, IZat could soon be used to pull up relevant, customized information to your whereabouts beyond just a vague point on a map.
Take, for instance, your favorite store in the mall. Any smartphone can tell you how to find it, but IZat-equipped phones can let you know the store’s having a sale. Those shoes you checked out on the retailer’s app that morning? Good news: they’re in stock.
IZat uses more than just GPS to determine location; by combining Wi-Fi technology with your phone’s accelerometer and more, IZat can determine a more precise indoor location based on proximity to known wireless access points, and help with step-by-step navigation with an accuracy of about 3 to 5 meters.
Location is powerful data that your phone has yet to fully unleash. IZat can constantly update location every second, which lets you navigate through a building just like your car navigates the streets. And because it is already built into your phone’s modem, it doesn’t unnecessarily drain battery. Plus, IZat isn’t tied to your carrier, so it can function as long as your phone is in the proximity of any carrier’s network.
So, if you have an LG G3 in South Korea, you can turn on IZat under settings today, and download its companion app (Korean). As for the rest of us, well, we’ll have to clip coupons and consult directories for just a little while longer.
