The secret sauce for many location-based apps is the hope that users will be willing to have revenue-generating advertising streaming into services as well.
So some data from mobile audience media company JiWire will be a welcome shot in the arm for advertisers and app providers.
The company collected data from 2,000 users across 289,000 US wi-fi locations and found that 53% would be happy to share their current location on a mobile in order to receive relevant advertising.
Good news for advertisers at least.
Furthermore, almost two thirds say they frequently use apps on their smartphones that require them to set a location in order to receive other content.
Inevitably, users (76%) are leaning much closer towards ad-supported free apps rather than paid-for services.
But it will be the engagement issue that determines whether embrace mobile advertising to the same degree as web ads - and here the data is less convincing.
Almost one on four users say they are more likely to engage with a relevant mobile ad, compared to 46% who say it makes little difference - the naysayers coming in at a lowly 16%.
Average time spent using applications on a daily basis:
- More than 2 hours - 17%
- 1 to 2 hours - 23%
- 30 mins to 1 hour - 28%
- Fewer than 30 mins - 32%
Number of downloaded applications on a device:
- Fewer than 10 - 26%
- 10 to 19 - 28%
- 20 to 29 - 23%
- 30 to 39 - 11%
- 40 or more - 13%
Top mobile applications (Q1 2010):
- Social networking - 63%
- Weather - 60%
- News - 60%
- Travel - 45%
- Music/entertainment - 36%
- Games - 36%
- Utilities - 31%
- Sport - 30%
- Business - 29%
- Lifestyle - 20%
Use of public wi-fi (Q1 2010):
- Hotel/resort - 60%
- Cafe - 18%
- Airport - 15%
- Other - 7%