Apple Leverages Wi-Fi with Skyhook Wireless

Ina Sebastian | January 16, 2008, 03:56 PM

Yesterday’s keynote at MacWorld included an announcement of a partnership with Skyhook Wireless. A software update to iPhone and iPod Touch enables location-based mapping without GPS. While the iPhone uses cellular triangulation and Wi-Fi, the iPod Touch of course relies on Wi-Fi only. Skyhook Wireless provides location data to Wi-Fi devices, by using existing Wi-Fi infrastructure (meaning beacons sent out by surrounding access points, mapped by signal strength and coordinates). Based on Skyhook’s database – they have been driving the streets of major US cities for years now, scanning for Wi-Fi access points, a Wi-Fi enabled device can scan the Wi-Fi environment to produce a GPS-like result.

Considering an increasing number of Wi-Fi enabled portable devices, Skyhook’s model is interesting. Mapping is just the beginning – there will be other location-based services, ads, and communications in the future. Consumers are interested in these services. The most popular activity at public Wi-Fi hotspots (beside checking e-mail, which is number one) is searching for local information.