According to AllThingsD, Apple has bought a Toronto based location data mapping startup called Locationary to improve their very unreliable mapping application. Apple users have been criticizing the mapping software for a number of years and it will be interesting to see if Locationary can perform the task better than Apple’s own in-house solution.
Locationary is using the latest Saturn exchange programme which combines technologies from various sources to ensure publishing and marketing of local businesses. Information such as the opening hours of businesses, availability of wifi internet and other useful pieces of information are added along with the location in a digital map so that users can get access to all data in one place.
“Locationary set out to solve these issues and to create a neutral platform that distributors could use to broadcast data, and their subscribers could use to blend data from multiple sources into the highest quality composites. Through Saturn, everyone can stay synchronized with the latest profile updates including hours of operation, products, services, and rich media,” reported iphoneincanada.
The website further added that, “Locationary is behind what it calls the “Saturn exchange platform,” which uses revolutionary real-time blending technology that merges data from multiple sources very fast, solving timely marketing and publishing issue of local businesses, their online profile up-to-date. For instance, Locationary collects important information such as business opening hours, availability of parking and wi-fi access, and this information can be added on the business’ location in a digital map.”
It will not be wrong to say that the startup acquired by Apple is expected to serve as the Wikipedia for local business listings by showing their location, telephone numbers, opening hours and other valuable information for users. The technology is extremely effective as it combines and verifies the online profile data of a local business using the Saturn exchange platform.
“In other words, the wireless startup Apple has just acquired can be viewed as the Wikipedia for local business listings. Using crowdsourcing and federated data, it collects, merges, and verifies the online profile data of local business across the globe”, iphonecanada.ca revealed.
Although the deal has been finalised recently, the price is not disclosed by either Apple or Locationary. Following the deal, Apple released a statement on the internet, saying “the company buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”
Source: iPhone In Canada
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