Google Location based API | A Best Solution Over Other Map Platforms

by Shishir Dubey April 5, 2019

Google Maps Geolocation has changed how we explore the world. Its desktop and mobile applications have turned out to be not only an approach to get from point A to B through the car, accessible transportation, or by walking. The pervasive Google location-based apps solution is additionally a geospatial search engine for the entire world.

As a leading Android and Firebase App Development Company, we also provide a robust react-native app development solution. We also offer quick and reliable map integration support along with the best cloud service integration solution. If you are looking for a profitable mobile app for your app idea, get in touch with us at ChromeInfotech.

Google keeps on patching up and enhance its map with functions such as contextual location suggestions and augmented reality. There are a vast amount of customizable devices, and hidden features officially backed into Google Maps that you may not think about it!

Here I am going to tell you the significant benefits and importance of adding Geolocation in your mobile app. Read the whole article to know more about it.

Check out our best tips for how to boost the power of your Google Maps

Plot Multiple Geolocations on Google Maps

Rarely do vehicle trips comprise of going from A to B. All the more frequently, they are something like A-to-bistro to-library-to-Joe’s-house-to-B. It is ideal Google makes it conceivable to foresee good trips.

• To add/include multiple locations in the Google Maps app.
• You need to enter the starting point and the exact destination.
• After that click, the three dots appeared at the top-right corner.
• It will prompt you to a pop-over menu along with an option to “Add stop.”
• Click on it, and you may add a route with various stops.
• You will also have the option to drag and drop the stops in your itinerary.

Kindly note that it doesn’t work while you are using mass transit option

Location-based app development service has transformed the nature of the interaction between brands and customers who now can get their customers easily at the right time and right place. It has presented new business solutions and marketing strategies.

But the Question is –

What are Geolocation or location-based apps?

Both Android and iOS location-based applications are those applications that give content to a user as per their quick geographical location. Individuals bring their cell phones wherever they go.

Therefore, geolocation applications have turned into a helpful tool that encourages and accelerates the task of finding a spot or an individual in a significant physical world.

Location-based applications get the location via cell tower data, GPS/satellite, and Wi-Fi. Along with built-in GPS, mobile phones determine the location coordinates of a user.

You can also enhance the GPS with the assistance of the smartphone network and Wi-Fi.

For example

Suppose you are in a building, and there are no GPS signals. You also can use Bluetooth here.

Development of such smartphone applications requires utilizing the maps and location services APIs. They provide insight into the closest objects and provide respective directions, suggestions, and helpful information about a spot (phone number, website, working hours, etc.)

When it comes to software or mobile application development, both iOS and Android platforms give their own location-based APIs.

If we are talking about Android Studio, it is an Android API for Google Maps. And for iOS It is known as Apple Map Kit. But, Apple Map Kit doesn’t offer indoor navigation or route suggestions.

Google Maps is cross-platform, and it works flawlessly well for both Android and iPhones.

What Google Maps APIs Used for Geolocation Based Mobile App?

Google Play Service provides location API’s. It simplifies the process of adding location-based functions to mobile apps. — Depending upon the idea of your mobile app as well as Geolocation functions.

In this case, you may need to use these four most demanded Google Maps APIs.

Google Maps API – offers you the best mapping solution. You can see the maps on the right side of your mobile application and tailored to your brand style.

Moreover, the places are filtered to include details. These are most significant to a user that allows to predict the travel time and give direction to a user.

Did You Know?

Uber began with Google Maps API yet then moved to MapBox API. Presently, they have changed back to Google Maps API in both (consumer side and driver side) application.

We at ChromeInfotech have made some popular on-demand mobile applications, and we found the pricing options for Google Maps API very confusing.

Google Maps offer approx. Twenty-five thousand free views every day. However, beyond that, the paid plan is stubborn to understand.

On the other hand, the pricing plans for MapBox are straightforward. Uber is an application that has millions of map views every day.

So, the easy pricing plans may have made Uber move from Google Maps to MapBox.

Google Has Simplified Its Geolocation API Pricing:

This move affected Google’s income, and they came to realize that they need to do something. Soon, Google realized their pricing should be simplified and easier to understand. Making a move, Google simplified its API pricing for Maps.

As Google simplified the pricing plans, Uber loved to switch back to the Google Maps APIs.

Now let me tell you the next one.

Google Places API – is an essential part of google maps API category, and it’s assessing more than 100 million destinations around the world.

It also provides precise and real-time data for mapping, navigation, business listings, and interest points.

The mobile app users can get complete information about their existing location as well as places nearby.

With the autocomplete solutions, Google Places API additionally returns the predictions of places. These predictions depend on the search queries that a user views while typing.

Google Maps Directions API – offers data about the starting from an existing location to a place. It shows multiple ways of getting there through walking and going via bike, car, or any other public transport.

Google Distance Matrix API – calculates exact travel time as well as distance (including traffic density). From an existing user location to their specific destination and specifies the kind of transport.

Let’s take a look at several mobile applications that use geolocation to offer services to the users.

What Are the Categories of Location-Based Mobile Apps?

Geolocation has substantially widened the list of application classes that give different services utilizing a person’s location.

Weather Apps

We are altogether used to the customary checking of the climate/weather forecast. Climate or weather applications establish the most prominent classification among geolocation-based apps.

These area location-aware applications give data about current climate conditions, help forecast customization dependent on a user’s longitude and latitude and empower a real-time alert function.

Navigation Apps

The least utilization of geolocation reflected in the mobile applications that help with getting around a spot. These incorporate locations, trips, street views, route planning, and ongoing traffic updates.

Health and Sports Apps

Geolocation is flawlessly joined with strolling, running, cycling and swimming exercises. Fitness tracker applications have turned out to be amazingly famous among the more significant part of cell phone users.

As a company, we also have worked on multiple apps in which we have integrated Google Maps APIs. Let me give the one example of a fitness tracking mobile application.

Now i am going to tell you one example of our project –

FIDDLE FIT 

We built an all-rounded DIGITAL FITNESS SOFTWARE for Fitness coaches to leverage their business. Here, we have integrated Google Map API that helps the application to track all the activities of a user.

As a leading software development company, a client came to us to discuss their idea. Our experts have examined their concept and come up with the best solution by integrating the Google Maps API. We have worked with lots of Maps API including Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, Mapbox, etc.

But ass per our research and recommendations, Google Maps APIs are best for this project. So, we proceeded with the Google Maps APIs and built an excellent application for our client.

What Was Our Client Expectation?

Our Client is native to the U.S.A and is a certified professional fitness trainer along with being the owner of a fitness studio.

He is very passionate about fitness and health and has a strong aspiration to help people in attaining their health goals and their overall well-being.

Our Client employed himself as both a committed personal trainer-providing customized training to individual clients and also as a fitness coach in the Gym.

What Issue Our Client Faced?

Our Client was doing very well in the professional front and got himself recognized in the fitness industry. And along with recognition came an increase in the customer base.

Earlier Our Client used to manage all the schedules and data of the customers using simple excel sheets and necessary 3rd party software’s.

But now with such huge numbers, these management solutions were turning out to be futile, and data management was becoming a tough task for our Client.

What Solution Have We Provided?

ChromeInfotech strategically designed this fitness software to:

• Increase customer base through automated and virtual workout sessions.
• Boost up customer visit and usage by keeping them happy and satisfied.
• Leverage Trainers’ business by creating a brand name for themselves
• Hold off customers by motivating them through loyalty and progress rewards.

To know more, you can find our work portfolio by clicking here.

Travel Apps

Most travelers and tourist make arrangements for their holidays and tours early. Location-Aware Apps provide suggestions, for example, where to go, where to stay, what should see, and which way to take.

As a leading Angular-JS Mobile App Development Company, we also have worked on some Tours and Travels application. We have polished our client idea along with our high-end creativity and expertise. Our pro developers have provided the best and successful solution to our client.

MINICABSTER

A preferred taxi booking service.

MINICABSTER is affordable, pleasurable, convenient and reliable taxi services. Our client wanted the best application that should specialize in accuracy and security. So, we integrated the Google Maps API here to provide appropriate information to the users.

Features of MINICABSTER

• Google Map Integration to set Pickup and Drop location
• Requesting a Ride
• In-app Payment
• Cloud Computing
• Schedule a ride as per your convenience
• Rate Your Drivers
• Tracking real-time driver location

What Solutions We Provided?

• We have used the best available technology for our client
• Seamless location tracking feature implementation
• Integrating Built-in maps and effectively designing algorithms for traffic data management
• One of the best fare calculating algorithms drives the entire app
• In-built payment integration through which a user can conveniently pay to cab drivers
• Driver rating mechanism to fetch the best drivers for your on-the-go journey

To know more, you can visit our work portfolio.

On-demand Services Apps

With geolocation you can request a taxi or product delivery and enjoy a vast number of other nonconventional services: booking a home massage, ordering laundry and dry cleaning delivery, asking childcare services and getting a dog-sitter for your pet.

As a Company (ChromeInfotech), we are delivering high-end mobility and software Development Solution to all our clients. We are highly dedicated and leading MEAN Stack App Development company.

Our Highly Dedicated Mobile App Developers can provide you with the best and reliable solution for your billion-dollar idea.

One of our clients came and told us their idea to provide a local assistance service. We picked him right from the ideation stage and gave their imagination a reality.

We have integrated Google Maps API in STINT to provide the most accurate information to the user. As a company, we have the high-end experience to integrate Map APIs in software and mobile app. And our high-end developers will provide you with a quick application as per the industry of your business and mobile application platform.

Below you can find our work on an on-demand app with geolocation.

STINT

On-demand local assistance for any task.

Let me tell you what can you do by this application –

By this, you can find assistance with any task. Post whatever you want that you need help and get support within minutes right from another user. An app must be simple where one can post-task, choose a candidate and rate the transaction.

This app helps you to find instant help with your everyday activities, including moving, cleaning, delivery as well as handyman work.

FEATURES OF STINT

• Easy registration including social authorization and OTP.
• Live location suggestions on google map to help the user find the locations easily.
• Address favorite locations on google map.
• Geolocation based Job listing. It helps to discover activities around you and notify nearby users of your task.
• I have automated escrow payment system. Funds are released only when both parties sign off the task.
• User reviews and ratings. To See a user’s experience with others.
• Manual dispute reviews. Got a problem? File a dispute which reviewed manually with the expert team.
• Credit System. No need to sign into a payment processor every time, get things done faster with credits. Add and withdraw anytime.

WEB ADMIN FEATURES

A centralized web system to manage all transactions, users, their disputes with complete tracking of financial reports.

• Role-based
• App User Management
• Financial transaction reports
• Job Posting reports based on different job status
• Server load information
• Manage cases with conflicts and dispute
• Dynamic email and notification content

To know more about it, you can see our work portfolio.

Dating Apps and Social Networking Apps

The present dating applications use geolocation to coordinate a user with individuals who have been to similar places or have strolled past the user inside a few hundred meters. Such claims have figured out how to show where your ways have converged and when.

Game Apps

Game applications offer real-time difficulties for outside fun and connection with the encompassing world. Running games with a terrifying plot expanded reality with missions, and fortune chasing applications are a couple of instances of innovative geolocation use.

Technologies to build an app with geolocation

To develop a location-based application, we may need two components: Maps and Location Services. There are some ways to choose free geolocation with multiple services. We’ll discuss the most widespread of them.

GPS

All smartphones furnished with Global Positioning System (GPS) chip inside. GPS utilizes the data about timing and location that satellites send from space. The cell phone needs information from somewhere around four satellites to decide place with around 60 feet accuracy.

Cell ID

In case the GPS signal is inaccessible, we can utilize the data from cell towers. Cell phone networks help to figure out which cell uses the user and contrast it and a base-stations database. This technique works better in big cities with a great measure of cells.

Assisted GPS

Assisted GPS approach consolidates the GPS and Cell ID tools and happens to be significantly more accurate than GPS.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi decides the situation of the client in a similar way the Cell ID does. However more precisely as it covers littler zones.

There two different ways to decide the area with Wi-Fi. The first is RSSI (get a flag quality sign) that alludes to signals from the telephone with Wi-Fi focuses database. The other one is utilized in much of the time visited spots.

It utilizes profiles of a few areas that are on Wi-Fi organizes and called a single remote mark. It recognizes the client’s situation with 2 meters’ precision.

After the area of a client is caught, we use services like Google Maps geolocation or some Map Kit Framework to put it on a good guide.

Google Maps API’s for iOS and Android gadgets give the execution of geolocation applications, including all data about the area, accurate maps, look for close-by spots and different highlights.

Google Maps SDK for iOS is in charge of including maps and Google Places API for iOS executes the identification of area, and other propelled highlights. Similar devices are furnished for Android gadgets with Google Maps Android API and Google Places API for Android.,

Our designers more often than not suggest building local applications, which implies a custom improvement for every working framework. In any case, there is likewise a choice to assemble a cross-stage application utilizing HTML5 geolocation and JavaScript geolocation libraries.

Indoor Geolocation Technologies

Speaking of marketing facilities of geolocation, we also should mention indoor technologies of Geofencing and iBeacon/Eddystone. Here are two interesting facts that will help you to do justice to these tools.

Initially, as per the surveys, the indoor location-based market has developed from $8,12 billion of every 2014 to $30,6 billion out of 2016. Furthermore, some cell phones per capita are on the ascent from 9.6% in 2011 to 31.3% in 2016. To top everything, it is essential that 8 of 10 customers lean toward utilizing their cell phones for settling on an official conclusion before obtaining in the market.

It shows location-based advertising is the new advance to clients’ securing and maintenance, so don’t miss it while arranging your next showcasing procedure.

Geofencing

Geofencing utilizes GPS in clients’ cell phones to decide that they are so near a specific point: regardless of whether clients are inside or outside the shop or they have quite recently entered or abandoned it.

Even though geofencing can be utilized as a method for sending offers or coupons to shoppers, the working extent is a lot further and can be used to give a customized understanding.

There are three sorts of geofencing triggers:

Static

In light of the client’s situation in a specific spot. For instance, a message comes to singular clients when they enter the store.

Dynamic

Given the client’s location about the changing information stream. For instance, warning about the free parking spot is sent to the client that is passing close-by.

Consolidated

This methodology depends on the client’s location about different clients. For instance, warning about companion’s registration with applications like Yelp, Facebook, or Foursquare.

iBeacon and Eddystone

Apple iBeaconand Google Eddystoneinnovations don’t convey offers or other substance without anyone else’s input. They carry the identifiers (Bluetooth Low Energy signals, BLE), which trigger certain activities in handcrafted mobile applications for iBeacon/Eddystone.

Dissimilar to geofencing, signals can’t decide the client’s situation on the guide. Rather than this, they use BLE to survey whether the portable client is in the zone of their execution.

Geofencing is considerably less precise when it is essential to decide the geolocation. It is typically increasingly active. In case you have to convey clients to the market from the road or stopping.

While iBeacons with their capacity to decide the location of the customer with more remarkable precision, perform better in case you need administrations dependent on geolocation inside. For instance, the guides can be utilized to give an increasingly exact route inside the building.

Geolocation for IoT

Geofencing and iBeacon advancement have prompted another round of IoT improvement.

As of now, the Internet of Things is developing quick and changes the business scene. It interfaces an ever-increasing number of gadgets inside the shop and gives a predominant shopping knowledge.

Specialists foresee the market increment up to $1.7 trillion by 2020 and about 29.5 billion associated gadgets in 2020 (contrasted with 16.9 billion of every 2014.

Geolocation and Security

There is a hindrance, however. Geolocation innovations boost protection concerns. Lots of clients deny offering access to their information as they are an issue that this data could be utilized to hurt them.

Organizations bring to the table essential advantages to clients on one side and certifications for the data security from another team.

Here are statistics about user behavior in terms of security issues:

Why are peoples using Location-based Apps?

• 71% finding certain places or events nearby
• 61% navigation
• 43% of finding friends nearby
• 27% getting a deal or special offers
• 26% checking public transport

Why are peoples installing location-based apps?

• 49% of its advantages
• 30% just for fun
• 21% follow the trend

7 out of 10

• 74% of peoples are feeling comfortable to share their location via location-based apps

But only 5 out of 10

• Peoples admit feeling happy after sharing their position via location-based apps

7 out of 10

• 75% of Peoples were not having concerns regarding who they would trust most and least with their location information

But more than half

• 60% People were having concerns regarding haring their location details via location-based apps

When Concern They Had About Sharing Their Location Details

• 75% said security
• 73% said privacy
• 32% were worried that information could be shared with third parties without explicit permission
• 29% said spam and unwanted advertisements were bothering

Location-based apps tend to shake up all industries and change the way brands interact with their customers online and offline.

Create a geolocation app for your business, and you can always deliver information and benefits to your audience at the right place and time.

Gain trust and ensure customers that their private information is safe. This is the secret ingredient of successful geolocation app.

You might be thinking –

How Can You Use Google Places to Create an App?

Before Google Places came to exist, offering location services through mobile apps was a complicated task for developers. They could only rely on longitude and latitude coordinates. Google Places API signaled the beginning of the era of location-aware apps.

These applications point to a set of necessary coordinates and provide rich descriptive information about venues.

Details about places include their ID and name, type of situation and other similar sites located close to a user, contact information and place reviews from other users (if available).

Conclusion

I hope this post will be helpful for you to know the critical aspects of Google Location based API and Geolocation features.

I will discuss the complete process to use Google Places in building an application in my next blog.

As ChromeInfotech, lots of clients are coming to us and inquiring about Google Maps SDK and how to integrate Google Map API along with Chat SDK? They always have lots of questions and confusion that I see.

Then, I came with the thought to write a blog that can guide peoples with crucial information. The intention to write this post is to inform peoples about Google Maps API and its functionalities in different kind of sectors.

We also help clients to Integrate MAP SDK or API in their mobile application easily. And we also have created lots of apps using the Google Map API. (We have discussed some our work in the above post).

We are a leading software and Blockchain Mobile App Development company in the world, and we provide excellent service to our clients. Our high-end software and android app developers having vast years of experience. And they can deliver a high-quality product as per your need and expectations.

Contact us and we will turn your imagination into reality.

We have delivered 500+ software and mobile apps whereas some get funded by big organizations. If you are looking for the next level business, then you need a creative software and Android App Development company. Here, we will take place.

This post will guide you with the best technology to use if you are making an app with mapping technology.  If I have missed anything here, or you want to suggest something to add, please do let us know in the comment section.https://www.minicabster.co.uk/https://www.minicabster.co.uk/