What Is a Location-Based Service: An Overview & Tools to Use

Having trouble finding information about what truly is a location-based service all about? What it means? Looking for some examples of this, how can one find a software tool that works fine with different location-based service apps? If any of those are your concerns, you are in the right article. Location-based services help shape and further enhance our experience navigating a location, finding newer routes, and other more relevant geographical task needs. Fully grasping what it is can help you understand and identify location-based service apps you are unaware of on your mobile phone. Thus, continuing to read this guide will ensure you gain invaluable information about location-based services, get to know some of the popular apps, and learn to use a suggested software tool to elevate your interaction further using these location-based service apps.

Part 1. What is Location-Based Services?

A location-based service (LBS) can be an application or software that uses and integrates GPS (Global Positioning System), Cellular networks, and Wi-Fi to provide users of any device with service, relevant information, features, and more. Moreover, LBS can be accessed through the user’s mobile devices, tablets, desktop devices, wearables, and even vehicles.

How does Location-Based Services LBS work?

Location-based services work by identifying the geographical location of one location using the mobile device's cell ID and network. This enables pinpointing the mobile user's location based on their transceiver station. LBS's most common method to function is using GPS satellites for a more comprehensive and accurate method and short-range positioning beacons such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for indoor location-based services.

Thus, once the user's location has been determined, the location-based services mobile application will categorize information into push-based, automatically displaying the relevant information, or pull-based, which the user needs to request or inquire about to get the information.

Use of Location-Based Services (LBS) but not limited to:

• It helps provide users with suggestions on local businesses, restaurants, and other establishments depending on the user's current location and preferences.

• It helps navigation and provides users with information about traffic and real-time directions.

• It helps in emergency response by locating individuals through their device’s location data.

• Social networking platforms that enable users to connect with other users casually.

• Elevates gaming experience by integrating the usage of the users' surroundings in an augmented reality setup.

• It can act as a device locator when lost or stolen.

Part 2. Famous Location-Based Services App

Integrating location-based services to specific apps, services, and platforms has become prominent and popular among companies as users increasingly depend on their smartphones and other devices. Fast forward to today’s time, it seems that the number of LBS mobiles is nowhere to be predicted as something to decrease but instead continuously growing and expanding. Thus, the following location-based service apps are some of the famous examples of location-based service apps that fall under different usages (Navigation, Search & Advertising, Infotainmtemnt, Tracking, and Games & Augmented Reality)

1. Google Maps - Traffic updates and route navigations.

2. Facebook Check-ins - Location sharing and updates with friends and mutuals.

3. Waze - User-based driven navigation and traffic.

4. Weather App - Updates to local weather.

5. Zomato - Food delivery service and restaurant locator.

6. Lyft - Ride-hailing services.

7. TripAdvisor - Travel reviews and recommendation service.

8. Foursquare - Social networking location-based platforms.

9. Airbnb - Travel accommodation finder.

10. Yelp - Restaurant service nearby finder.

11. Bumble - Location-based dating app.

12. Snapchat - Location sharing social-networking platforms.

13. Find My - Apple device virtual locating app.

14. Pokemon Go - Augmented Reality-based game.

15. Uber - Delivery and ride-hailing services.

Part 3. Use AnyCoord Tool Around Location-Based Service

As from the word itself, location-based services, such as apps and platforms, use your real-time location to give you the service they offer. In this case, if you don’t want to reveal any information, especially your area when accessing these so-called location-based services apps, you can use AnyCoord instead to help you conceal and protect your location information.

AnyCoord is a third-party software tool that can be downloaded and installed freely on your Windows and Mac devices. It supports modification of your location from your mobile devices (Android & iOS). The software can effectively be your solution to hiding your accurate location information. It functions as a tool to modify and set up a virtual location to trick those location-based service apps into using the fake location by AnyCoord and not your own. Through its simple-to-understand user interface, you can easily modify your location, and the moment you open the software, it will instantly show you all the modes available for location spoofing. Thus, it also allows users to simulate movement to mimic realistic travel movement to make it more convincing that the user is actually in the location; therefore, this highly works in location-based service games. To effectively use AnyCoord and maximize the software's features, follow our guide below.

Step 1. To use AnyCoord in Location-Based service apps like Pokemon Go or any app, it is better to download, install, and run AnyCoord software on your desktop.

Note: Once you run AnyCoord software, simply connect your mobile device to your desktop and click the Start button in the software’s interface to proceed.

Step 2. After connecting your mobile device to your desktop, click on the Modify Location mode to proceed to your virtual map interface.

Step 3. Once you are on the virtual map, use the search bar feature to look for a location you want your mobile device to use. Simply click on it, and once you're done, click Confirm Modify to change your mobile device's location.

Step 4. After clicking the Confirm Modify button, open the location-based service app you want to use. It will use the location you selected in the AnyCoord tool.

Now, you know how valuable this tool can be. It can quickly change your location. Besides, if you want to protect your privacy and security, you can use it to stop your iPhone from sharing your location.

Part 4. FAQs about Location-Based Service

• 1How do we disable unwanted location-based system services?

  To turn off any unwanted LBS apps running on your device, go to your device Settings and navigate to your device's Location Services. From there, turn off the apps you want to stop running in your device's background, such as location-based service apps.

• 2Are Location-Based Services secure?

  Yes, it is built to use a user's actual location information, so it is accurate and secure. However, it may pose privacy and security concerns to users if they don’t want to reveal their location data. These location-based services ensure they are used only to give users the necessary services and not to collect and expose their location data online.

• 3Do location-based services use a lot of battery power?

  Yes, it can drain your mobile device's battery power, especially if the LBS is continuously in use and active. To conserve your battery when using LBS apps, better manage your app and close the app properly when not in use to avoid battery power consumption while running on your mobile devices as a background app.

Conclusion

In conclusion, location-based services are a way to know and interact with mobile device users and their surroundings. They maximize the use of the user's location data to provide relevant information depending on the user's needs when accessing an LBS app for their service. While it appears valuable and efficient, it poses privacy and security concerns to users who don’t want to use their accurate location data. Although there is an option for them to turn on and off the location services permission simply of these apps when using and not using these LBS apps, it is much more convenient just to use a third-party software tool like AnyCoord to conceal the user's actual location and give them a virtual location one still to use the LBS apps from their mobile devices.