Samsung has signed a multi-year deal with location-based social networking provider GyPSii.  The move should position the device maker perfectly for the future of social networking using mobile devices, which is poised to expand exponentially as the technology catches up.

GyPSii has created a geo-spatial mobile platform that allows for the constant use and analysis of a user’s location for various social interaction applications.  What’s unique with the platform is the fact that it’s interoperable across several mobile networks and devices.  This was a main aspect of Samsung choosing GyPSii over other similar platforms, according to Fox Business.

“Social networking and location-based services on the mobile phone are now mainstream, so we looked to emerging innovators in the industry to support and deliver these value-added services,” said W.S. Lee, Samsung’s VP of research and development, in a statement.

The mobile networking service from GyPSii enables users to share geo-tagged content with friends, potentially receive location-based advertising, and interact with other social networks like Facebook and MySpace.

The agreement comes as many companies are betting that mobile social networking will be a hit with consumers. Nokia recently acquired Plazes, a similar platform, to beef up its social networking capabilities, and Facebook and MySpace applications are regularly in the most-downloaded list for Apple’s App Store. 

By having the applications pre-installed on the devices out-of-the-box, users don’t have to do a thing to enjoy the benefits.  This has been a hot topic for debate when estimating the success of mobile social networking in the past. 

To kick off the deal, a GyPSii application will come pre-loaded on Samsung’s upcoming touch-screen smartphone, the Omnia, but the rest should follow shortly.  Look for other device manufactures to hop on the bandwagon as well sooner or later.  Most will probably stand back and analyze the success of Samsung’s deal before going forward, but I see the technology becoming ubiquitous in the very near future.  It took the Internet by storm, why shouldn’t it do the same on the mobile web.  Especially when you through location data in to the mix.

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Entry was posted on Monday, July 28th, 2008 at 10:44 pm under Social Media.  Print This Post

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