Location and navigation are invaluable services for consumers on the move. The ubiquity of smartphones continues to drive demand for connectivity, as well as consumer expectations for convenience. The need for accurate location data on mobile devices is well-established through social media and navigation application use. Consumers have grown comfortable sharing their location online. In 2015, 90 percent of U.S. smartphone users utilized location-based services for directions, recommendations, or other location-based information1.
Most location-based applications use a combination of Global Positioning Systems (GPS), cellular networks, and crowd-sourced applications to provide location data. These applications function well outdoors but are less reliable when users move inside. Once a mobile device moves indoors location accuracy through GPS degrades, leaving a gap in location availability.
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Location™, a standards-based certification program by Wi-Fi Alliance® enables highly accurate indoor location data. Utilizing existing Wi-Fi® signals and pervasive technology in a new way, Wi-Fi Location™ improves accuracy of location data to the meter-level, paving the way for more uses in the market and allowing location-enabled devices to deliver the same great experience indoors as they do outdoors.
1Pew Research, January 2016