Location Sharing

For anyone venturing out alone, mobile phones can provide peace of mind. While being able to call someone in an emergency is invaluable, modern smartphones offer an extra layer of safety by allowing you to keep other people updated on your location in real time.

It’s also more convenient sometimes to show someone where you are on a map rather than trying to describe your location using street signs or landmarks, especially when meeting up. Here are three of the most popular apps for sharing your location with friends and family:

Facebook Messenger:  Easiest to Use

One of the simplest options is Facebook Messenger. During a chat on the mobile app, you can send your location by pressing the button with the four squares and then selecting ‘Location.’ You can decide how long you want to share your location for.

Messenger is quick and easy to use, and many people already have it installed. You can even set up a group chat specifically for location sharing. However, we found that Messenger can be unreliable, especially when you’re using your phone for other tasks or keeping it in your bag or pocket. This makes it more suitable for giving a quick update than continuous tracking.

Glympse:  More Options and Reliability

Glympse is our go-to app because it’s more reliable than Messenger and offers more sharing options. As with Messenger, you can share your location for a specified duration, but Glympse allows for longer sharing periods.

With Glympse, you can share your location by sending a link through other apps, including Discord and WhatsApp. You can also invite users to a group and share your location with that group. Additionally, you can create public tags, and anyone with the link to a tag can see everyone sharing to that tag. Glympse offers a lot of customisation and features, making it a more useful choice.

Life360:  Always Active

Life360 stands out from Glympse and Messenger because it continuously shares your location. If you have it installed, anyone in your group can always see where your phone is, not just when you choose to share. Whether this is viewed as a positive varies and may give rise to privacy concerns.  This app is particularly popular in families, especially for keeping track of teenagers.

However, constant location updates can reduce battery life, with an estimated 10% decrease in battery performance.

In Conclusion

While we use and recommend Glympse, the other apps have unique features that might make them a better fit for your needs. If you need further advice, feel free to get in touch.