However, it's in the form of a Web app and not a native app
Almost six months after introducing Google Latitude, current location broadcasting service for users, Google has finally rolled out Latitude for iPhone
OS based devices.
Google's Latitude service has been made available for download to iPhone and iPod Touch owners in the form of a web app and not a native app. On heading to google.com/latitude though the Safari browser, the iPhone or iPod Touch owner will get the Latitude will show up. Note that Latitude is different from the My Location feature recently added to Google for iPhone users.
Mat Balez, product manager of the Google Mobile team, noted in the blog post at Google Mobile Blog that Apple requested them to release Latitude as a web application in order to avoid confusion with Maps on the iPhone which uses Google to serve maps tiles. As noted in past, iPhone OS 3.0 software update would bring Geolocation support in the Safari browser. That might be the reason why Google held up Latitude for iPhone.
Users can add Latitude to their iPhone or iPod Touch home screen by clicking on the + sign at the bottom of Safari browser window and select 'Add to Home Screen' option. Latitude on iPhone being a web app won't work in the background unlike for other mobile platforms like Symbian, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile
. For saving battery life, Google Latitude uses Wi-Fi triangulation or Cellular Tower location instead of GPS.
In case you're worried about privacy, it is being taken care as the user can restrict Safari from using current location. Also under the 'Floaty Bar', users can choose either to Set their location, Detect their location or totally Hide their location from others.
It is hoped many iPhone and iPod Touch owners would be happy to see Latitude on their devices. If in future Apple allows background process on iPhone OS based devices then update on Latitude might include it to native Google Maps app or Google Mobile app from App Store.
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