iOS 8: Apple Uses M7 Processor and Motion Sensors for Precise Indoor Navigation

With iOS 8, Apple is taking a huge step ahead by showing developers how they can get precise indoor positioning data from the iDevice’s sensors. And since it is an experience that wouldn’t work without venues, it is inviting venues to sign up and help enable indoor positioning (via 9to5Mac).

As part of the WWDC schedule yesterday, Apple presented to developers how the company plans to help them map the inside of a venue. Both the iPhone and iPad have the proper hardware to allow developers (and Apple) to go beyond outdoor positioning and enter inside a venue and provide accurate indoor navigation.

Cellular, GPS and Wi-Fi technology are great for outdoor positioning, but the best thing about the iPhone 5s and the latest-generation iPad is the M7 co-processors and motion sensors, which are now open to developers via the new CoreLocation API.

M7 processor

The user cases are numerous: just think about the situation when you visit a new venue and you get 20-step instructions that you’ll obviously forget in a second. It’s much easier to have a tool in your hand – your iDevice – which will guide you to the right place on the right floor.

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.

As we are speaking, the indoor positioning features are already live at three venues: the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, the Westfield San Francisco Centre, and the Mineta San Jose International Airport.

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