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Google Latitude Appears In Japanese App Store, Then Disappears?

Google Latitude Appears In Japanese App Store, Then Disappears?

December 11, 2010
A few days ago, a "Google Latitude" iOS application appeared in the Japanese App Store. Shortly thereafter, Google Latitude disappeared, and we haven't seen it since. Back in February, TechCrunch reported that Google was considering launching a "Google Latitude" iPhone application with iOS 4.0. Back then, Google's senior product manager, Steve Lee, stated:
From the start, we’ve made Latitude available across platforms. Supporting iPhone with a great Latitude user experience is extremely important to us, and we’re evaluating the best way to deliver that on iPhone OS 4.0 now, so we don’t have anything to announce just yet.
While "Google Latitude" has been available to iPhone users since July 2009 (in HTML5), a native iOS application has yet to appear in the App Store, until last Tuesday. A Google Latitude native iOS application appeared in the Japanese App Store, and TechCrunch spotted it. Here's the app description:
With Google Latitude, see where your friends are right now. Latitude lets you stay in touch with your friends and family by making it easy to share where you are and see each other on a map. With Latitude, you can: * See your friends on a map – find out who’s nearby and meet up. * Share your location continuously with whomever you choose – help friends and family stay in touch with you, even when you can’t take out your phone. * Control your privacy – share only city-level location, hide your location, or turn off background updating at any time. Latitude lets you share your location in the background, even when the app is closed or your device screen is locked. Background updating requires an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 with iOS 4 or above. You can also enjoy Latitude from your computer at google.com/latitude to see where your friends are or turn on optional apps such as Google Location History for a personal history dashboard.
However, instead of gradually appearing in more App Stores around the world, the Google Latitude app disappeared altogether. And, it hasn't been seen since. The launch of Google Latitude was most probably a mistake. Personally, I think we'll be seeing the app's "official" launch soon. Once it's available, we'll let you know, so keep checking back for updates.

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