The Benefits of Location Services
Many of the capabilities that make smartphones such amazing devices are only possible because of Location Services. Here are a few of the things your smartphone can do because of Location Services.
Location Services allow map apps on smartphones to give turn-by-turn directions as you walk, drive, or bike to your destination. Some map apps even provide directions for taking public transportation.
Find the closest coffee shop for your morning cup-of-joe or the nearest gas station when your car is running low on fuel.
Track the route and speed of the runs you went on while training for that half-marathon or see just how far you walked on that Saturday morning hike.
If you lose your device either under the mess in your room or in the bottom of a canyon, location services can help you to find it. It can even know when to lock your device, helping keep your information safe.
Share your location with a friend or loved one to make it easier to find each other after splitting up at the mall or quickly let someone know where you are when you're in need of help.
Have your phone remind you to buy more eggs the next time you go to the grocery store using location-based reminders.
Find out what the weather is going to be in your actual location, not just the city you're in. You can even get alerts minutes before it's going to rain.
When there is an emergency and you call '911,' the location of the phone that is making the call can be shared with emergency response personnel.
There are some concerns that come with using Location Services. You could accidentally share your location or the location of something valuable to you when you don't intend to. One of the main ways that people inadvertently share a location is through Geo-Tagged photos.
What is a Geo-Tagging?
A Geo-Tagged photo is a picture that contains information about the location where the photo was taken. You can think of Geo-Tagging like writing the location on the back of a photo to help you remember the moment, except instead of the location being something like 'Statue of Liberty' or 'Grand Canyon,' Geo-Tagged locations are precise coordinates of where the photo was taken.
What are the risks of Geo-Tagging?
Geo-Tagging in and of itself isn't bad. The risk comes when you share a Geo-Tagged photo without realizing it. For instance, you may take a picture of your house and post it on a public website. However, the GPS coordinates of the location in which the photo was taken may be embedded in the picture file. This will mean that some users of the public website may be able to locate your house simply by looking at a photo online.
It's important to know when certain programs and devices are accessing your location information and how it will be used. To learn about controlling your Location Services settings, tap below.