WaveMarket Inc. plans to launch a new location-based social application this week, unveiling the industry’s latest effort to prod users to create social networks through wireless networks.
Dubbed “Crunkie,” the product combines the community-creating features of Internet-based services like Friendster and Meetup.com with location-based services (LBS). With the application, users can find nearby friends, browse listings of bars and restaurants, view maps and post photos.
“It combines location and maps in the form of a mobile social network,” said Tasso Roumeliotis, chief executive officer of LBS software developer WaveMarket. “We think that when you are using your mobile phone to determine what you want to do, you also want to know who to do it with and where to do it.”
Crunkie-a form of “crunk,” a hip-hop term for socializing-uses a map-based interface, overlaying icons to indicate businesses and friends. Users can form clubs based on common themes and create blogs with text and photos for others to view.
The application, which will be mobile and Web-based, also allows members to post more geographic-related information, such as a traffic jam or speed trap. Crunkie initially will use short message service, but eventually will support BREW.
WaveMarket’s new offering builds on SMS applications such as SMS.ac and Dodgeball, which allows users to send text messages to indicate their whereabouts and meet up with friends. Analysts say those types of applications have grown tremendously in the last year as consumers use their handsets to meet other like-minded people, both locally and globally.
“What you can do (with Crunkie) is to have people who don’t know each other but have the same passions meet each other, which really hasn’t been done before,” said Lewis Ward, a senior research analyst with consultancy IDC. “It’s creating an ad-hoc community around a special area of interest, which I think is an area that will only grow over time.”
While much of Crunkie’s appeal may stem from its location-centric capabilities, there are a limited number of GPS-enabled handsets available today that can fully exploit LBS offerings. Users with non-GPS phones must hone in on their locations using a “cross-hairs” interface over a map.
Crunkie, which launches with AT&T Wireless Services Inc. this week, is free for consumers, although WaveMarket may introduce premium branded content such as restaurant reviews or certain types of clubs.
“We’re in discussions with every major carrier in North America” as well as other operators globally, Roumeliotis said. “We think one of the advantages of this is that you can invite friends and share stuff across the world.”
