With users’ permission, the social networking iPhone application Loopt will report the phone’s current location even when the software isn’t running, based on a new agreement with AT&T.
In a report from Silicon Alley Insider, Loopt cofounder Sam Altman said the always-connected feature has been the most requested from users. The service allows people to track where their friends are at any given moment, a task difficult to constantly maintain on the iPhone, which doesn’t currently allow third-party applications to run in the background.
Ordinarily, closing the application would cease any connections, but the new AT&T-sanctioned feature comes with a price: The always-on capability will add $3.99 to a monthly AT&T bill, after the 14-day trial. The initial trial will be open to 5,000 users.
According to the report, the new deal doesn’t change the policy on third-party apps — think of it more like a service than the entire Loopt application running in the background. It says that the application Read more…