NEW YORK-Sprint Nextel Corp. launched a location-based feature that allows users to access nearby movie theaters and listings by pressing a single button.
The carrier added location capability to its MovieGoer application, which is powered by mobile media company Zingy Inc. Users can choose to allow the handset to determine their location through Zingy’s Locate Me service, which uses cellular sector technology in lieu of manually keying in a ZIP code or address.
The offering is one of a handful of mass-market location-based services on the wireless market. But location services are expected to boom in coming months and years as operators come into compliance with E911 mandates.
“Zingy is committed to providing the best user experience across our entire portfolio of mobile media products,” said Andy Volanakis, the company’s chief executive officer. “The Locate Me feature brings an important ease-of-use element to the deepest lineup of information services applications in the industry.”
