GyPSii launches iPhone platform

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, March 5th 2008 - GyPSii, the world’s leading geo-location and social networking service provider for mobile phones and Internet devices, is now available on the iPhone – Apple’s market-leading high-end mobile device. The iPhone has shipped more than five million units worldwide since its launch in 2007.

 The new web-based GyPSii iPhone application integrates its multiple services into a single interface, making it easy for users to enjoy a wide range of new and exciting location-based features and services, along with social networking – all using the fluid, intuitive touch-screen user interface of the iPhone.

 GyPSii also confirmed that it would produce a “native” version of its application using Apple’s Software Developer Kit (SDK) which is scheduled to be launched later this week, providing seamless access for all Apple users, from the desktop, to the iPhone.

GyPSii CEO, Dan Harple, said he didn’t want iPhone users who were keen social networkers to have to wait any longer for the only social networking platform specifically designed for location-enabled mobile phones to be available for their handset.

 “We’ll work with the SDK as soon as it becomes available,” he said, “and then we will be uniquely offering both web and native versions of our application for iPhone users.”

GyPSii is taking advantage of its extensible product architecture enabling use of technologies (like Apple’s Safari) to make its advanced, geo-location features possible on the iPhone. In supporting these advances in web technology, GyPSii delivers an optimal location-based experience on a mobile device, or on a desktop computer, or even via a set-top box.

 Some of the new GyPSii for iPhone features enabled include:

 Improved UI: The application provides users a desk-top-like web experience that is easier to activate, navigate and use via Apple’s intuitive touch-screen.
 
Expanded People/Places layout: GyPSii users can have easy access to complete information on their favourite people and places that appear on the iPhone. Users simply choose their favourite People or Places, bringing up all relevant information such as proximity, details and their position on a map, all on one continuous screen. Users can also access one click dialling to phone People and Places.
 
Integrated directions from the mapping interface. Users can navigate to and from their favourite People and Places.
 
Improved location based search: Users can search by proximity using new easy to use categories for both People and Places.
 
Seamless user interface menus which take advantage of the progressive touch screen interface that comes with the iPhone.
 
Commenting on the launch of GyPSii for iPhone, GyPSii CEO Dan Harple said, “With the iPhone, Apple created a game-changing handset that revolutionized the mobile device market. We are doing the same with our geo-location technologies to connect people and content to places, events, and social networks in exciting and never-before-seen ways.”

iPhone owners can use GyPSii to create and share experiences; photos, videos, audio and other content in real-time with friends, family and other network members, wherever they are in the world. Users can also search and locate people and places, as well access directions, maps and information on Points-of-Interest (POIs) - both in their immediate area and worldwide as well.

 "With GyPSii on your iPhone, it becomes your mobile personal digital life recorder,” continued Harple. “You can record and share every aspect of your life as it happens with your friends, family and your online community – all via your mobile. GyPSii for iPhone makes social networking dynamic, mobile, and real-time.  We’ve integrated with the deep feature set on the iPhone, with the result being an entirely new way to communicate.”

 GyPSii for iPhone puts the application within reach of more than five million iPhone users worldwide, and advances GyPSii’s global strategy to be the market-leading geo-location and social networking services platform running on the broadest range of high-end and mass-market consumer mobile devices. This commitment is device-independent, with the company working to develop new mobile technologies that are faster, easier to use, and available on more devices. GyPSii is already available on other market-leading mobile phones and platforms – including BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile-powered devices.

 The addition of the iPhone to GyPSii’s list of compatible handsets follows hard on the heels of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona where the combination of Location-based services with mobile technologies, and the award-winning GyPSii application in particular, seized widespread industry attention. 

 "Initiatives like GyPSii may ultimately reach a status comparable with existing social networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace," said ABI Research principal analyst Dominique Bonte.

 Praising his development team for their achievement leading up to the launch of GyPSii, CEO Dan Harple said, “Our mission is to enhance every person’s mobile experience; blending their lifestyle and how they share their lives with each other and their chosen social networks.  Our first iPhone release version brings us one step closer to that goal, and adds further to our momentum.”

 GyPSii is now available for iPhone users at http://www.gypsii.com/m .

 A demonstration of GyPSii for iPhone is also available at: http://corporate.gypsii.com/iphone/iphone.htm .