Yahoo's Geo Location Platform: Fire Eagle

One of the trends around digital which I have been speaking to lately is the importance of Location Based Services. Each year, the media predicts that 'This will be the year for mobile!' with little to show for it.

The reason is that we cannot rely on display ads to drive the growth of the mobile space. The main driver will be experiences that supplement the user experience rather than disrupt it. See the popularity around iPhone applications if you don't believe me.

Today, Yahoo! showcased their dedication to the space by releasing Fire Eagle. The service, which can be accessed with your existing login and password, allows users to syndicate their location across a variety of services from those partners and devices which are part of the network. The example that TechCrunch used in outlining the service is:

This means that after sending a Pownce message with a geo-tagged photo, I
could have Fire Eagle automatically update my current location on my blog
and social network profile.

Current partners are SixApart, Outside.in, and Pownce. While it remains to be seen how quickly the service will take off, it is another tool that the portal is offering to users as they become more sophisticated with mobile services.