Australians love using mobile phones, and the country enjoys some of the highest smartphone usage per capita globally.

One of the next big things to ride the mobile wave is geo-location services, where your mobile alerts and suggests things based on your location.

SnapItUp is an Australian app that allows users to receive location and time specific information on their smartphones.

We recently caught up with Frank Stranges from 3 Electric Sheep, who designed the app, to discuss where he thinks mobile technology will be taking us in the near future.

Blade Runner

Like a lot of good ideas, the inspiration for SnapItUp can from sci-fi movies.

“The idea was taken from the movies Blade Runner and The Minority Report, where advertisements and other information are presented based on what you need, when and where you need it,” Stranges explains.

Following that thinking, SnapItUp works by giving you new information, about everything from traffic conditions to deals at local retailers, as you move in and out of new locations.

SnapItUp is also aimed at helping retailers target nearby customers. It also allows brands to advertise specials via the app, while providing analytics to measure ROI.

Location, location

Stranges sees apps like SnapItUp as the next evolution in how consumers interact with mobile devices. He explains that by using geo-location, mobile devices can filter through the torrent of online data to deliver timely and targeted content.

“Geo-location relevance to specific news, events and savings when consumers are spending their dollars will be their community aggregator for ensuring value every time. They do it now when they are out shopping by searching for a product at a competitive store. 

“Imagine their reaction when a competitor can send them an offer instantly just before they are considering making a purchase?”

SnapItUp is now available for iOS users, with an Android version in the works. 

To find out more visit itunes.apple.com. 

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