Product Experience

Enhanced Location

Version 3.1

Introduction:

Enhanced Location refers to the concept of consolidating pertinent location-related information from various sources, such as on-device data, social networks, social location services, and location-based services, and delivering it to the user through points of interest.

User Benefits:

• Enables users to gain a deeper understanding of the context surrounding a place and access relevant content or perform actions related to that place, eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications and services.

• Empowers third-party developers to access and utilize aggregated location-related content through our APIs.

Assisting in Locating the Right Place:

• Assists users in finding the most suitable location by providing rich content associated with the place.

• Facilitates decision-making processes about a place.

• Allows customization of location-based content according to user preferences.

Helping Users Stay Informed about a Place of Interest

• Offers the capability to create widgets showcasing specific places of interest.

• Facilitates tracking and management of events occurring in and around a place.

• Enables users to share place-related content with others.

Adding Meaning to a Place:

• Enables capturing location-specific content using the device's camera.

• Enhances the assignment of personal significance to a place.

Use Case: Exploring Rich Content Related to a Place

• User searches for a place and proceeds to visit it, such as going out for breakfast.

• The user receives a comprehensive and customizable view of content aggregated from various location-based services.

• By swiping left, the user accesses activities, media uploads, and past/future events associated with the location.

• Swiping right reveals photos taken by the user and their friends in close proximity to the place.

Use Case: Customizing Location-Based Content

• User searches for a known place they plan to visit.

• User customizes the information they wish to access, such as airline prices, weather updates, or news.

• The user creates a widget displaying the selected information, allowing them to stay informed and make travel-related decisions more efficiently.

Use Case: Sharing a Place

• User wants to share a place they have visited with a friend who might be interested.

• User selects the desired sharing method.

• User chooses the relevant content they want to share and attaches a personalized message to encourage their friend to visit the place.

Dependencies & Risks:

• The success of enhanced location experience relies on our ability to access and utilize content from location-based services, including social platforms.

• There is a risk of competing directly with Google Maps, which performs similar functions. However, differentiation can be achieved by incorporating device-wide content and allowing users to customize their preferred services.

Android Location Object: Google Search Result

Actions:

• Zoom in to address

• Set your location here

• Directions to this address

• Directions from this address

• Add as contact

Data:

• Place Name

• Street Address

• Phone Number

• Website

Enhanced Location Object

Sources:

• Contacts, Calendar, CMP, Maps, etc.

• Google Local, Yahoo Local, Yelp, CitySearch, etc.

• Facebook, Yelp, Latitude, Loopt, Dodgeball, etc.

Content:

• Calendar events, Photos, Videos, Music events, past location searches

• Ratings, Reviews, Hours, Price range, parking, Photos, Videos, etc.

• Contact's addresses, Contacts who "liked" this place, contacts who have visited, friends currently at the location, past places visited, friend's geo-tagged photos

Enhanced Location Object Types:

1. Basic Android Platform: Provides location as a lens by aggregating on-device content in one place.

2. Location as a Container: Aggregates on-and-off device content, allowing users to choose which content to display.

3. Enhanced Location Object: Integrates any location-based service based on the type of point of interest (POI), potentially incorporating recommendations and crowdsourced useful content. Fully customizable by the user.

Enhanced Location Object Actions

Share:

• Append to status

• Set as presence (street, city, country, etc.)

• Insert into message (SMS, Email, Messaging)

View:

• Activity (current and upcoming events)

• Media (photos, videos, etc.)

• Information, services, and content related to the place (reviews, travel information, etc.)

Create:

• New event here (Calendar, group message)

• Custom widget from this location (activity stream, navigation)

• New to-do item (triggered)

• Top 5 most active places

Add:

• URLs from the browser

• Message/thread from any conversation

• Media from the camera

Set Current Location

• Check-in on social location services (Facebook, Twitter, Snap Chat, etc.)

Unresolved Issues

User Experience:

• How do users perceive saved places? Should they be treated as "contacts" or separate objects?

• What are users' mental models regarding unnamed/temporary places versus permanent long-term places?

• At what level of accuracy does storing a location become insignificant? For instance, if the location fix is as broad as a city, users may be less inclined to "save" it.

Interaction:

• At what point does it make the most sense for users to switch to a map view of a location? Should it be from the list view or the "Location Detail" view?

• Which address should be stored if a reverse geocoded location fix lacks precise coordinates?

Technical:

• Is it feasible to replace Google Maps' Location Picker with our own?

• How long does tracking a location and performing reverse geocoding typically take?