Business Week reports on how a nascent industry involving the likes of Google and Nokia is pinpointing the movements and behaviors of millions of cell-phone users.
“Marketers have long dreamed of zeroing in on shoppers, whether in a mall or a competitor’s store, and hitting them with targeted ads or coupons. (The privacy implications are a big deal, as we’ll see.) But the business ramifications of the Next Net stretch beyond marketing.
Mobile data also promise to help researchers fine-tune transit systems, study the spread of crime or disease, and even monitor and optimize the movements of workers. For many businesses, the coming flood of mobile information could bestow a competitive edge.”