Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is planning to enhance its mapping services with a new interior mapping program. The plan is to use iBeacon technology to get a better picture inside large stores, office buildings and event spaces. The iPhone maker wants to go a step further than exterior mapping services, and the Business Insider reports that the company has already secretly employed the technology over the last several months.
Apple learning from mistakes
One of the developers in the company said that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has made strides ahead of the competitors in interior mapping arena, which could prove very profitable for the company. Generating revenue from interior mapping will be easier for the company compared to earning profits from number of apps, where revenue streams cannot be identified immediately.
The mapping technology would allow the stores or event hosts to stop you for a moment to get a code or message to receive additional benefits. The location of users can also be determined with the help of Wi-Fi, GPS and a cellular signal.
Interior mapping services are still in the developmental stage, but Onyx Beacon CEO Roman Foeckl said that Apple has gained valuable experience from its bug-filled outdoor mapping service. The CEO said that these mistakes will not be repeated with the interior mapping service launch. Onyx Beacon is the company that supplies the beacon used by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) for interior mapping.
Privacy concerns over the service
Foeckl added that the developers and other market watchers will have to wait for the Google IO developer’s conference to know about the next big plans for indoor mapping. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s vision and plan has become a bit more public after the announcement of indoor mapping.
However, some are concerned that indoor mapping might intrude into the privacy of people in the buildings because indoor location data is much more personal than the locations of roads and buildings. Google has recently won a case in Greece allowing it to roll out its Google Maps street camera cars on the roads.
Five years ago, Google was banned from applying their Street View map service in Greece due to privacy rules. Google is trying to come up with a similar interior mapping service, but it is not as precise as the Bluetooth signal from iBeacons.
