Loopt Strikes First with Background Location to iOS4

Location sharing veteran Loopt is the first service to take advantage of the highly sought after feature background location with the launch of iOS4. Within the new OS for Apple, this new feature is often referred to as “persistent location.” A broad definition of persistent location is that you don’t need to interact with your iPhone and let it know that you want it to check your location and give you information based on that data. Instead, you can allow your iPhone to consistently monitor your location in various apps and when it comes across a certain set of conditions, notify you.

Basically, if you are using Loopt, you activate the app and then you no longer have to check in. It will check in for you all while running in the background. There would be a strong set of parameters for users to tweak so that there are no “unwanted” check-ins. Another aspect of the feature that is promising is the fact that you can receive a push notification to your phone when a specific group of friends is near your current location without having to check in.  This would occur while Loopt is running in the background. Although something similar occurs when you use Foursquare or Gowalla, research leads me to believe this will be more user-centric and much more applicable. Loopt is a location sharing service that should not be ignored and is working hard to stay relevant. They have caught my attention.

Who will be the next app to take a forward looking approach to this feature? What will Foursquare or Gowalla do to counter this move by Loopt?

Personally speaking, I am hoping that an app such as Living Social integrates this feature within it’s app so that whenever I am traveling throughout Los Angeles, different deals are pinged to me as I arrive. The specials could be a serious influence to where I choose to eat meals and spend time on weekends as we all try to save a dollar here or there. Another similar app to benefit would be Groupon. If I cruise through Beverly Hills and there is a Deal of the Day nearby, please pop-up and let me know.

Which apps out there can take advantage of this feature as Loopt has done? Meet us in the comments section.