14 DAY TRIAL // It was probably only a matter of time, but it has finally happened, Google has added check-in functionality to Latitude to combat the threat from a number of competing services, notably Foursquare and, to a degree, Facebook Places. Initially, Latitude was designed to automatically keep track of your location, but it's now emphasizing places as well.
"You can still use Latitude to automatically update and share your location, but check-ins let you add context to the location—like captions to a photo," Joe LaPenna, software engineer, Google Latitude Team, writes.
"For example, I live in San Francisco but often travel around the world. Until today, sharing my location let friends and family know if I was across the globe or in their neighborhood. Now, check-ins let them see the cool restaurant I’m trying in Taipei or join me for a latte at the cafe nearby," he explains.
The check in feature is now live in the latest version of Google Maps for Android, but Google says that an iPhone version is coming soon. iPhone users can keep track of their friends' check-ins but can't do the same themselves.
Google has adjusted the functionality to serve the specific particularities of Latitude. Since the service already keeps track of your location, whether you're actively using it or now, you can set up automatic check-ins at locations you like.
You can also enable it to check you out when you leave a place making sure that your friends know you're not still there. There are also notifications, reminding you to check in when you visit places, if you prefer.
Check-ins from friends will show up in the app. Naturally, the check-ins are linked to the Google Place Pages for the location, so you can quickly see what the fuss is all about. There are also badges of sorts, you can become a "Regular," a "VIP" or a "Guru" depending how often you visit a location.