Apple is reportedly eyeing a new “Friend Locator” app that could allow remote iPhone tracking.
According to a recently filed patent obtained by AppleInsider, the push-based location service would likely be used by friends to conveniently locate each other, or by parents monitoring the location of their children.
So, how would the app work?
Well, the location of an individual iPhone would be shared via regular updates requested by Apple’s push notification service.
Such push updates could be activated by the owner of another iPhone requesting the location of a friend.
Of course, users can choose to automatically share their location via GPS, or manually send an update.
As AppleInsider’s Neil Hughes notes, the Friend Locator app is “essentially” Cupertino’s version Google’s Latitude.
“[Yes, Latitude] also shares friends’ locations and directions to their current spot,” writes Hughes. “But Apple’s method [involves] a native application that could be accessed with an iTunes account login.” [[iPhone]]
