Sparkle's platform for application developers allows for the location and identification of any handset, provides geofencing and messaging technology, offers support to control voice, data and SMS services for handsets, and can even detect mobile phone motion and velocity -- a feature that could be used to auto-disable texting while driving, for instance.
The Sparkle platform will allow applications with geofencing technology, such as Neer, to become more readily available for iPhone and Android owners, and more practical in function. Geonotes can be automatically delivered to mobile users when they enter or exit certain areas; SMS messages can be auto-fired to friends when nearing their houses; parents can set up location-based controls for their children; and automatic social networking updates can be configured for certain locales.
MayorMaker and TweetMover are two iPhone applications already using Sparkle, and they serve as excellent proofs of concept. MayorMaker leverages the platform's geofencing technology in conjunction with Foursquare, Facebook and Twitter APIs for automatic checkins at users' favorite venues. TweetMover is an iPhone game that automates Twitter updates and rewards status badges as you move about a city.
Location-as-a-service is a growing industry that includes a number of service providers such as SimpleGeo and the Twitter-owned Mixer Labs, which provide developers with plug-and-play tools they can use to build feature-rich, location-aware applications.
Still, technology is playing catchup with these advanced applications of geolocation, a topic Foursquare's Dennis Crowley addressed in a recent interview. Widespread consumer adoption of these technologies is likely still a few years out, but the Sparkle platform will help serve as a catalyst for developer ingenuity.