Geolocation & Maps
Access GPS coordinates and track your location in real-time. Learn about accuracy, permissions, and real-world use cases for location-based features.
Browser Support
⚠️ Permission Required
This demo requires explicit permission to access sensitive device data. Your browser will ask for permission before sharing this information. You can always deny access or revoke permissions later in your browser settings.
Browser Support
❌ Your browser does not support Geolocation API.
Please use a modern browser.
🧪 Try It Now: Get Your Location
How Geolocation Works
- GPS Satellites: Your device receives signals from 4+ satellites to calculate position
- WiFi Networks: Browser uses nearby WiFi access points to estimate location (faster but less accurate)
- Cell Towers: Mobile networks triangulate position using nearby cell towers
- IP Address: Fallback method that provides city-level accuracy
- Privacy: Browser asks for permission before sharing your location with websites
Understanding Accuracy
High Accuracy (GPS)
±5-10 meters
Best for navigation, delivery tracking, AR games. Requires GPS hardware and clear sky view.
Medium Accuracy (WiFi)
±50-100 meters
Good for finding nearby restaurants, stores. Faster than GPS, works indoors.
Low Accuracy (IP/Cell)
±1-5 kilometers
Useful for weather, news, language detection. No permission needed, instant.
Developer Code Example
// Get current position (one-time)
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(
(position) => {
const lat = position.coords.latitude;
const lng = position.coords.longitude;
const accuracy = position.coords.accuracy;
console.log(`Location: ${lat}, ${lng} (±${accuracy}m)`);
},
(error) => console.error('Error:', error.message),
{
enableHighAccuracy: true, // Use GPS
timeout: 10000, // Wait max 10 seconds
maximumAge: 0 // Don't use cached position
}
);
// Watch position (real-time tracking)
const watchId = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(
(position) => {
updateMapMarker(position.coords);
},
(error) => console.error('Error:', error.message),
{ enableHighAccuracy: true }
);
// Stop watching when done
navigator.geolocation.clearWatch(watchId);Real-World Geolocation Use Cases
GPS and location services power countless applications. Here's how companies use geolocation to create valuable user experiences.
🚗Ride-Sharing & Transportation
Real-Time Pickup & Navigation
Uber and Lyft use continuous location tracking (watchPosition) to show your exact position to drivers. As you move, your pin updates in real-time. Drivers see your location with 5-10 meter accuracy, reducing pickup confusion and wait times by 40%.
// Continuous location tracking for ride-sharing
const watchId = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(
(position) => {
updateUserPinOnMap(position.coords);
sendLocationToDriver(position.coords);
if (isMoving(position.coords.speed)) {
showMovementIndicator();
}
},
{ enableHighAccuracy: true }
);Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)
Google Maps calculates your ETA by continuously tracking your position and speed. If you're stuck in traffic (speed drops), the ETA automatically updates. This real-time recalculation uses position.coords.speed to detect movement patterns.
Geofencing for Notifications
DoorDash sends a notification when the delivery driver is 0.5 km away. They calculate distance between your location and driver's location every few seconds. When distance < 500m, trigger notification.
📍Local Discovery & Search
Nearby Places Search
Yelp shows restaurants within 1 km of your location, sorted by distance. They use your GPS coordinates to query their database: 'SELECT * FROM restaurants WHERE distance(lat, lng, userLat, userLng) < 1000 ORDER BY distance'. This instant local search drives 65% of Yelp's mobile traffic.
// Find nearby places
navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition((pos) => {
const userLat = pos.coords.latitude;
const userLng = pos.coords.longitude;
fetch(`/api/nearby?lat=${userLat}&lng=${userLng}&radius=1000`)
.then(res => res.json())
.then(places => displayOnMap(places));
});Store Locator
Starbucks app shows the 5 nearest stores with walking distances and directions. Using your location, they calculate: 'Nearest store: 0.3 km (4 min walk)'. Click for turn-by-turn directions. This feature increased in-store visits by 22%.
Local Weather & News
Weather.com automatically shows your local forecast without typing your city. News apps surface local breaking news. This contextual content delivery based on geolocation increases engagement by 3x vs manual location entry.
📦E-Commerce & Delivery Services
Delivery Address Autofill
When ordering food on Grubhub, tap 'Use Current Location' to autofill your delivery address. The app reverse geocodes your GPS coordinates to get a street address: '123 Main St, Apt 4B'. This reduces checkout friction and cart abandonment by 35%.
Delivery Zone Validation
Pizza delivery apps check if you're within their delivery radius before showing the menu. If your location is > 5 km from the restaurant, they show: 'Sorry, we don't deliver to your area.' This saves time for both customers and restaurants.
Live Package Tracking
Amazon shows your package on a live map, with the delivery driver's real-time position. You can see the van 3 stops away, then 2 stops, then arriving. This visibility reduced 'Where is my package?' calls to customer service by 60%.
🎮Location-Based Gaming & AR
AR Games (Pokémon GO)
Pokémon GO spawns creatures based on your real-world location. Walk to a park (GPS coordinates), find water-type Pokémon near lakes (geofenced areas). The game uses watchPosition() to track your movement - walk 2 km to hatch eggs. This location-based gameplay drove $6 billion in revenue.
Social Check-Ins
Foursquare lets you 'check in' at locations when you're physically there. The app verifies you're within 100 meters of the venue before allowing check-in. Users who check in 10+ times become 'Mayor' of that place, gamifying location sharing.
Location-Based Rewards
Retail apps like Target Circle offer special discounts when you're in-store. Walk into a Target (geofence detection), get a notification: '25% off in the electronics section!' This foot-traffic-triggered marketing increases impulse purchases by 18%.
🚨Safety & Emergency Services
Emergency 911 Location Sharing
When you call 911 from a smartphone, your precise GPS location is automatically shared with dispatchers. Even if you can't speak or don't know your address, emergency services can find you. This E911 feature saves an estimated 10,000 lives annually in the US.
Safety Check-Ins
Apps like Life360 let family members share real-time locations. Parents can see when kids arrive at school (geofence alert). If someone's phone hasn't moved for hours in an unusual location, the app sends a check-in notification. This peace-of-mind feature has 50+ million users.
Crash Detection
iPhone and Google Pixel detect car crashes using accelerometer + GPS. If your phone suddenly decelerates from 60 mph to 0 (crash), and your GPS shows you're on a road, the phone asks 'Did you crash?' After 20 seconds of no response, it auto-calls 911 with your location.
⚠️Privacy Considerations
Location Tracking & Surveillance
Some apps track your location 24/7 and sell this data to advertisers. They can build a profile of everywhere you go: home address, work, gym, doctor visits. This is why browsers show a persistent indicator when location is being accessed and why you should review app permissions regularly.
Location History & Data Retention
Google Maps Timeline stores every place you've visited for years. While useful for remembering trips, this creates a detailed database of your movements. Law enforcement can subpoena this data. Review and delete your location history periodically in Google Account settings.
Protect Your Location Privacy:
- Only grant location permission to apps you trust
- Use "Allow Once" or "While Using App" instead of "Always Allow"
- Disable location services when not needed (in device settings)
- Review which apps have location access monthly
- Clear location history in Google/Apple account settings
- Use a VPN to mask your IP-based location
- Browsers show an icon when sites are accessing your location - revoke if unexpected
Why Geolocation Matters
Legitimate Uses:
- Navigation and turn-by-turn directions
- Finding nearby services (restaurants, gas stations, ATMs)
- Emergency services (911 location sharing)
- Local weather, news, and content personalization
- Delivery tracking and ride-sharing
The Bottom Line:
Geolocation is one of the most powerful web APIs, enabling location-aware experiences that would be impossible otherwise. However, it's also highly sensitive. Always ask yourself: "Does this app really need my location?" Be selective with permissions, and remember that you can revoke access anytime in your browser or device settings.
🔒 Your Privacy Matters
This demo runs entirely in your browser. No data is sent to any server. All information shown is generated locally from browser APIs. You can verify this by checking your browser's network tab.
How to protect your privacy:
- • Only grant permissions to trusted websites
- • Review active permissions in browser settings
- • Clear site data to reset permissions
Browser Settings:
- • Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security
- • Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security
- • Safari: Preferences → Privacy