All You Need To Know About Location Based APIs and Apps
The inventions of Geolocation APIs and location based apps completely transformed the interaction between customers and brands. Companies can now reach their clients at the right time and place. Geolocation has introduced new business services plus marketing tactics. Plus, customers can easily access whatever they want through their smartphones.
Location Based Apps
Understanding the Basics of Location Based Apps
Location-based apps provide content to users according to their geographical locations. People nowadays carry mobile devices wherever they go. And that’s exactly why IP Geolocation service API and geolocation apps have become increasingly popular. They facilitate and speed up the process of finding specific places or people in a big physical world.
The location details are received through Wi-Fi, GPS/satellite, or cell tower data. Smartphones, for instance, are outfitted with a built-in GPS that automatically detects a user’s location coordinates. GPS performance can be enhanced with the help of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or a mobile network.
The development of such mobile apps requires using maps, as well as, location service APIs. They offer information about closest objects, directions, and details about a place.
The Use of Google Maps APIs in Location Based Apps
Google Play services typically provide location APIs that make it easier for you to add location-aware features to mobile applications. Depending on your app idea, you’ll need to use a Google Maps API.
Remember, Google Maps API is amongst some of the most popular map API services around the globe. Not only do they help you display maps in your mobile app. They also allow you to customize the maps to match your brand color style. Locations are filtered to include relevant information that can help users predict travel times and specific directions.
Google Maps Directions APIs typically provide information about directions. It displays different ways through which you can move from your current location to the desired destination. These could include walking, using public transport, going by car, or using a bike.
Google Matrix API, on the other hand, calculates approximate travel time and the distance from your current location to the desired destination. Plus, it also specifies the type of transport.
Location-Based Mobile Apps Categorization
Geolocation has significantly improved mobile applications. There are currently numerous categories of mobile apps that provide different services using the user’s location.
Some of the most popular apps that feature geolocation capabilities include weather apps, navigation apps, navigation apps, sports apps, travel apps, games apps, social networking apps, and on-demand services apps.
Location-based app development is easy now. App developers can implement various tools like address autocomplete etc. using resources available on the internet. For example, GeoCodeAPI offers an address autocomplete API that is easy to use and implement. This offers extensive services and documentation to help developers build a great location-based app in less time.
Best IP Geolocation APIs
In addition to Google Maps API, following are the best IP geolocation APIs that you can try:
geoPlugin
geoPlugin is an IP Geolocation Application Programming Interface(API) that claims to be the original and largest free IP geolocation web service since 2006. Using geoPlugin has several benefits. It provides a free geolocation API in multiple different programming languages in a single API call. One does not require to install any software to use geoPlugin, no API key, and whether your programming language of choice by Javascript, PHP, XML, JSON, ASP, or CSV.
Geoplugin has a way to simply and geo-localize your visitors very efficiently. This geoPlugin was created to make geolocalization technology readily available for the mass population. This API does not only find geolocation but has an option of currency conversion for free.
geoPlugin offers users the ability to geolocalize the visitors down to the city they are in; it also helps find out about what currency they use and updates the currency exchange rate of their currency versus users' currency.
Ipregistry
IPregistry is a fast, reliable, and excellent API to look at the information associated with Internet Protocol Version IV (IPv4) and Internet Protocol Version VI (IPv6) IP addresses. For each IP data processed, the API returns up to 80 unique data points such as location, data, connection data, Autonomous System Number (ASN), company name, domain, carrier data, time zone, currency, and security assessment data.
IPRegistry also helps in GDPR compliance, i.e., General Data Protection Regulation, which aims to guide and regulate how companies handle their customers' personal information. It also keeps a check on legalities and transparency in a company and also lets the user check whether an IP address is or has ever been associated with any proxy.
IPWHOIS.io
IPWHOIS.io is a free API specially used for small projects. It offers up to 10,000 requests per month (IP and referrer identification) for free of charge. This API service helps the user filter out bot traffic for better business functioning and make the works easier for the user. However, for modern Internet resources covering an extensive large audience located far in another country, it is essential to know the visitor's exact location. This is where this API service helps by providing the full name of the visitors' country, which helps the users better understand visitors' behavior.
Bigdata Cloud
Bigdata cloud is a big name in IP geolocation API and is very popular amongst businesses as it provides hassle-free and fast services. This API is user-friendly, time-efficient, and offers all the support and assistance needed. Big Data Cloud IP API is powered by patent-pending next-generation IP Geolocation Technology and provides the most accurate and rich locality
information such as Network parameters, Security insights at sub-milliseconds speed, and many more.
The company's primary aim is to set a standard and provide essential APIs for feature-rich e-commerce, SaaS, ad agencies, financial institutions, CRM systems, and many more. Although, the downside of this API is that their constant upgrades might come out pricey.
IPgeolocation.io
IPgeolocation.io is a freemium geolocation IP API that gives detailed information about the IP location of your visitors very accurately. This API offers free to use up to 100 requests per month and helps businesses to grow and develop faster. The API supports IPv4 and IPv6 IP addresses and returns data such as longitude, country, currency ASN, and security data. It is hosted behind Cloudflare to ensure reliability and speed, and data returned is monthly updated with the MaxMind Geolite2 database.
IPgeolocation.io API helps businesses with many things and makes their transaction and future affairs easier for them. IPgeolocation.io also gives many tools for content personalization, ad targeting based on customer's preference, auto-completion based on previously saved information, and many more things.
Bottom Line
Are you traveling to an unfamiliar destination? Wondering how you’re going to locate the best store, restaurant, or Movie Theater? Relax. With geolocation-based apps, it’s now possible to access various services through your smartphone. You no longer need to search for physical addresses. It’s an extremely simple and quick process. Plus, it’s affordable and highly convenient.