Mobile Social Networks?

Companies, especially Apple, are experimenting with a mobile social network. Although iPhones currently have a Facebook application, it's merely the website version designed for the phone. A mobile social network could not only tell you where your friends are but what they're doing. The goal, however, is not to see what your friends are up to but rather to be able to walk into a room and see everyone's information to facilitate meeting new people. Whether it's for business or dating, you would be able to see a picture of the people around you including a bio, either professional or personal. iPhones are the closest to achieving this goal because it will soon have both of the necessary components, GPS and software on the phone instead of accessing the website, in order to achieve this goal.

Although some think that a mobile social network will "enhance" social situations, will it actually make us more sociable? There is already concern over the loss of social interactivity due to current technology including instant messaging and texting. Will an application on your phone that tells you who in the room might be best suited for a conversation really help our social ability?

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/23/will-there-be-an-iphone-only-social-network/

Lauren Gaw