One of the new functions of iOS 8 which the company Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), he did not present it on stage WWDC 2014 it has to do with the application Apple Maps, being able to position us now even inside the buildings. All is based on the new motion co-processor M7 implemented in the chip A7, working in tandem with the mobile phone network, GPS and WiFi networks to be able to accurately locate us inside buildings.
iOS 8 makes it possible for an iOS app to determine its precise indoor position in supported venues. Learn best practices on how your app can take advantage of indoor positioning. Discover how indoor positioning and iBeacon complement each other, and understand the best use cases for both technologies. As a venue, find out how you can get involved and signup to enable indoor positioning.
Apple has implemented in iOS 8 a new API called CoreLocation which allows application developers to use the data retrieved by the co-processor M7 and all motion sensors to accurately locate us inside the buildings. For everything to work, the applications also need building plans, so initially few applications, including here Apple Maps, will have the opportunity to use this technology.
For positioning inside buildings iOS 8 is able to display including the number of the floor we are on, so we are talking about a location as accurate as possible. All this new technology comes, most likely, satisfied the acquisition of the WiFiSlam company last year by those from Apple, she developing a localization system inside buildings using WiFi technologies and more.
In the locations where there are iBeacons installed, things will become even simpler thanks to the technology available since iOS 7, where a Bluetooth connection is used instead of WiFi. At the moment, three locations in the US have activated the localization system inside them, a small airport being included, and Apple is working on expanding the coverage area in the coming months, with the US being the center of attention.
