Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, revolutionized multiple industries with his innovative ideas, and location-based services (LBS) is one area where his influence can be seen today. While Jobs did not directly invent LBS, his vision and the products he introduced laid the foundation for the widespread adoption of these services. From the introduction of the iPhone to the creation of the App Store, Jobs’ decisions helped shape the modern landscape of location-based services, which are now integrated into our daily lives through apps like Google Maps, Uber, and countless other geolocation-dependent services.
The Foundation: The iPhone and GPS Technology
In 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, a device that would go on to change the world in many ways. One of its most significant innovations was its built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) capability, allowing it to accurately determine the user’s location. Before the iPhone, smartphones and handheld devices had limited location-tracking abilities, often relying on basic cell tower triangulation. The iPhone’s introduction of GPS technology gave rise to a new generation of location-based applications.
The impact of GPS integration on the