BlackBerry Locate Service Update Allows Developers To Add Geolocation Through Cell Towers

By Mauricio

RIM let us know that today they’ve introduced a new geolocation feature of the Locate Service. The geolocation service uses cell towers to gather quick location information and deliver it to applications on BlackBerry smartphones. Since the app would use cell towers to pinpoint locations, no GPS is required:

The location data provided by the Geolocation service is quick and general, so not as specific as GPS information, but perfect for applications that need to point to close by areas of interest or other geographical points/information without going into too many details. And once a user is back in GPS coverage, the application can call for more detailed information, if needed.

• Reverse geocoding capabilities enable applications to convert a user’s latitude and longitude to an address
• Integration with BlackBerry Maps Service offers a variety of app features, ranging from navigation directions to POI recommendations. BlackBerry Maps Service compliments Locate Service by providing map displays that can be invoked or embedded to indicate a user’s location

BlackBerry developers can take advantage of this new feature, integrating it into apps for devices that are not GPS-enabled. The service does require OS 5.0 or higher and a wireless plan with a carrier that supports these capabilities. For more info as well as developer APIs check out the Locate Service page or the BlackBerry Dev Blog post.