Today Google updated it’s Google Now app to include a selection of new features. I am a keen user of Google Now, I check if frequently and after a little trial and error it is giving me information which is relevant and useful.
One new features is a card to remind users where they parked their car. It detects when you were moving and when you stopped to work out that you may have been traveling by car, but are now on foot. There are some obvious examples where this might be wrong, such as using a bus, or a park and ride, but Google helps out again with a list of other suggested places. This is a pretty cool feature, and for me it’s another card on the “helpful” pile, but I does look a bit like a sweetener, or the sugar to help those with privacy concerns to swallow the pill that Google is following them around.
At the end of last year, Google said at it’s AdWords Partners relaunch that soon advertisers would be able to track conversion if someone clicked on an advert then visited a physical store carrying their phone. There is an option on Android phones to not report location data and Google needs some good reasons for users not to hit that kill switch and deprive them of that data. Helping people find where they parked their car might be another reason for users to keep that info flowing.
I for one, will be leaving it switched on.