Interest Builds for Location-Based Services Beyond the Check-In

Nine in 10 mobile Wi-Fi users interested in location-aware tools

Mobile users, especially smartphone users, have been warming up to the check-in over the past year, according to comScore. But services like Facebook Places and foursquare are not the only location-based tools consumers want.

In Q1 2011, mobile Wi-Fi hotspot provider JiWire found that nearly half the users of its hotspots would be interested in checking in, up from 27% just the previous quarter. Services that would help them find store locations or other points of interest were even more popular, and interest had grown.

Mobile Wi-Fi users had also increased their appetites for location-aware reviews, ways to connect with others and tools to check product inventory nearby. Overall, the proportion of respondents not interested in any kind of location-based services dropped by nearly half, from 22% to 12%.

One barrier to adoption of location-based services has been privacy concerns, which are heating up throughout the mobile space. Majorities of both male and female app downloaders told Nielsen in April that they were worried about privacy. Women were 7 percentage points more likely to be concerned.

Nielsen also found privacy was an issue that cut across age groups, though the oldest users were most worried.

Still, the growing interest in both check-ins and other location-based services suggests some users at least are becoming more comfortable with sharing information about where they are via mobile. As marketers and developers continue to educate mobile users about the risks and rewards of sharing data, they should note that services other than the check-in may be more enticing to many consumers.

via emarketer.com