Facebook has launched a "Nearby Friends" feature that allows real-time location sharing with friends.
On Thursday, April 17, the world's largest social media website announced the launch of another neat feature in a bid to expand its user base. The latest Nearby Friends feature allows users to discover friends who are nearby or are on-the-go.
"If you turn on Nearby Friends, you'll occasionally be notified when friends are nearby, so you can get in touch with them and meet up. For example, when you're headed to the movies, Nearby Friends will let you know if friends are nearby so you can see the movie together or meet up afterward," said Andrea Vaccari, product manager at Facebook.
Vaccari added that Nearby Friends can be used as an optional feature that users can select to find friends who nearby and then can turn off when they do not need it. Both the user and a friend from their Facebook friend list need to turn on Nearby Friends and opt to share their location with each other to view when nearby.
When turned on, the new Nearby Friends feature allows a user to share their precise location with one or more friends for a specific time frame, e.g., the next 45 minutes. When a user shares a precise location, the selected friend will also see his/her exact location on a map, which enables the user and their friend to seek each other out.
The Nearby Friends feature also enables a user to view when friends are traveling, if they are using the feature, and more. When the Nearby Friends feature is turned on it even allows a user to check out the city or neighborhood in which their friends are located. A user can take the opportunity to make a recommendation, such as for a place to eat.
Location-sharing capability is fast gaining in popularity as more people use the Internet on their mobile devices. Facebook acquired location-tracking start-up Glancee and location-based social network Gowalla, which will help the company to offer location-sharing to billions of its customers worldwide.
Facebook revealed that Nearby Friends will be available in the U.S. on Android and iPhone in the coming weeks. The new feature may be available to more customers in other geographic locations soon.
