glympse_wordmark_primary_1Seattle-based location technology startup Glympse will have a key foothold on the new Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone under a deal announced between the companies this weekend at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The deal will allow Galaxy S7 users to share their current location along a live-updated map, and provide an estimated arrival time to their destination, keeping selected contacts updated about where they are and when they will arrive. The MyPlaces widget will be integrated on the Galaxy S7 user interface, but an upcoming software update will also allow Galaxy S6 and Note 5 users to access Glympse services.

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Co-founder and CEO of Glympse, Brian Trussel

Glympse has also been integrated into Samsung’s Car Mode for its S7, featuring extra-large buttons and voice control so that drivers can be safe on the road while sharing their location. Recipients of a Glympse map will not need to have a Samsung phone or Glympse to be able to view location data; instead, Glympse will send a link to a map that will open in any mobile or web browser. The map will be active for up to 4 hours.

This is Samsung’s second location services collaboration. The first was with HERE for its Gear S smartwatches, giving users access to turn-by-turn navigation via the Samsung watches.

“Samsung is looking for ways to differentiate its handsets from other Android handset makers and bring an innovative user experience to market in competition with the iPhone,” said Gerrit Schneemann, senior analyst Gerrit with IHS. “Location services are an area where the company does not have to compete with other well established apps and services, in music or video, for example.”

Another Seattle-area startup, Whitepages, also landed a pre-installation deal for the Galaxy S7, for its caller ID technology.

By integrating Glympse into the Galaxy interface from the get-go, Samsung offers S7 users an alternative to downloading non-Samsung apps for location services like GoogleMaps or MapQuest. Furthermore, by combining Glympse with Samsung Car Mode, Samsung also is able to highlight the capabilities of S Voice, rather than sending users to Google’s voice recognition software.

For Glympse, the new partnership with Samsung adds to its roster of major clients, like software companies Google and Amazon; phone companies including BlackBerry, Verizon, Comcast, and Vodafone; and car dealerships like BMW/MINI, Ford, Volkswagon, Jaguar/Land Rover, and GM. It is one step further in the company’s goal to become the de facto location-sharing service.

“Our lives are inherently mobile; with Glympse’s proven location technology, Samsung Galaxy S7 users now have the power to share where they are directly from their smartphone,” said Bryan Trussel, co-founder and CEO of Glympse, in a news release.

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