News
Loopt for iPhone gains constant access via deal with AT&T
By Charles Starrett
Contributing Editor
Published: Friday, September 4, 2009
News Categories: Apps + Games
Loopt, a location-aware social network, has gained constant location updates for its iPhone users via a tie-up with AT&T. The company’s native iPhone application, like all other third-party applications, isn’t allowed to run in the background on iPhone—a limitation not enforced on other mobile phones—so Loopt reached a deal to let users constantly update their locations, even when the application isn’t running. The feature will allow users to receive updates when they are near friends or places they might interested in, and, the report suggests, will open the door for more intelligent location-based advertising. According to Silicon Valley Insider, the new always-on feature will launch in a limited 5,000 user trial, and will come at a charge of $4 a month after 14 days.
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1
I’ve been waiting for something like this on the iPhone for a long time. There are so many possibilities with this phone that are so restricted. For AT&T to pull though for us on this functionality is a shocker, but to have to pay more money for it is rediculous. $4 a month!? if all the people that you are intersted in locating aren’t payig that fee, it’s pointless. For us to have to pay more money for something this phone is capable of doing….. Ugghhh…
Posted by Nick on September 4, 2009 at 10:42 AM (PST)
2
This is absurd. Ganking us iPhone users for $4 a month for something that other platforms get for free? Just when I thought AT&T couldn’t screw us even more, I’ve been proven wrong.
It’s about time that Apple starts thinking about letting the phone run more than one app at once. It’s the only smartphone with that restriction. Let ME worry about my battery life, Apple, not you.
Posted by Joe Attardi on September 4, 2009 at 12:29 PM (PST)
3
This is one of the several reasons that I will be leaving AT&T as soon as the lose their exclusivity. Poor service, gouging prices ($4/mo on top of a none-too-cheap voice plan and $30/mo for Internet and texting—ludicrous), and a terribly strained network.
Apple is clearly holding all the cards here.
Posted by Dennis on September 5, 2009 at 6:16 AM (PST)
4
well,.. thats it for me..no more AT&T,... i will get out when my contract expires in a few month… i’ll get me a jailbroken one or something else than the iphone
Posted by dennis on September 5, 2009 at 5:23 PM (PST)
5
OK so 4$ a month to get advertisements? You can’t tell me they won’t have preferred places of business that they will promote.
AT&T had it made when they got the iPhone on their network. They were a small fish and they had potential to become a very big fish but crappy practices will break them. I don’t know of many people who are saying they will stay with AT&T when the iPhone is offered elsewhere. They have an attitude that people are trapped in a contract with them if they want an iPhone and eventually that will no longer be the case and they will be done. Once they loose 80%+ of their iPhone clients they will be %&*#@!
I for one will switch to Verison if they get the iPhone!! I would have gotten the first gen iPhone if it were offered on Verison when it first came out.
Posted by Johnny L on September 8, 2009 at 6:32 AM (PST)