Roger Fingas
Google on Thursday launched a beta Places API for iOS, which should allow future apps with location sharing to use actual place names, instead of latitude and longitude.
The application programming interface connects with Google's database, covering over 100 million locations such as restaurants and hotels. Developers have a range of features they can implement for end-users, such as a place picker, real-time location, and/or detailed information about a place such as address, phone number, and website.
When a user is typing out search terms, an app can help autocomplete the name they're looking for.
Developers will also be able to add new places and have them appear in Google's database, or otherwise improve mapping by reporting the presence of a device at a given location.
Developers must sign up to participate in the beta. This requires not just having a Google account, but an app with a bundle identifier.
Google has had a Places API web service and JavaScript library in existence for some time, but until this week there was little specific mobile support. Although the iOS API is in beta, Android developers now have access to a completed one, including documentation and code samples.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Stephen Silver
Charles Martin
Amber Neely
14 Comments
Like Microsoft, Google need access to iOS users as their own e-c-rap-o system isn't exactly minting them as much money as they'd like.
[quote name="digitalclips" url="/t/185332/google-brings-beta-places-api-to-ios-promises-better-location-sharing#post_2695461"]Like Microsoft, Google need access to iOS users as their own e-c-rap-o system isn't exactly minting them as much money as they'd like.[/quote] Why else would they port nearly every app they premier on Android over to iOS? Cover all the bases. I predict Apple to soon start doing the same with more of their apps.
Does Apple have a similar mobile-related API for Apple Maps? If so, how does it compare to Google's new offering?
[quote name="Slprescott" url="/t/185332/google-brings-beta-places-api-to-ios-promises-better-location-sharing#post_2695561"]Does Apple have a similar mobile-related API for Apple Maps? If so, how does it compare to Google's new offering?[/quote] I think Apple's API returns geo-location just as Google previously did. Right now Apple doesn't offer a "places" API along the likes of Google's recent update AFAIK, tho some developer here can confirm that.
Like Microsoft, Google need access to iOS users as their own e-c-rap-o system isn't exactly minting them as much money as they'd like.
Yes Google knows that iOS users have a higher income and do online shopping more than android users.
I see this in observing my friends who use each platform; iOS users are more active at online shopping.