Marissa Mayer, VP of Search Products and User Experience, has been promoted to Google's Operating Committee, and will now focus on Location Based Services. Udi Manber will take over the search products business to allow Marissa to focus on Location. John Battelle says this is BIG. I agree. Mobile apps and Location Based Services are The Next Big Thing. Android is Google's mobile platform for location based services. Combining mobile, search, location, and advertising is a blockbuster opportunity.
Mobile phones are the one computing device that is always with us, always on, and always knows our location. The search experience from a mobile phone can be so much more useful and targeted when based on location. Location awareness makes search results more relevant, and makes it easy to find nearby shops, restaurants, and retailers. Think about the ecommerce, rev share, and advertising opportunities.
Check-ins on FourSquare and Gowalla have gained lots of attention but they aren't very useful beyond letting your friends know where you are. Google can provide lots of context around your location with information from Google Places, Google Maps, Weather, Reviews, and more. Location Based Services also known as LBS are in their infancy. Marissa Mayer spent 10 years building web search into a robust and powerful business. My guess is she will do the same for Location over the next decade.
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