Facebook's new 'Find Wi-Fi' feature is a boon for smartphone users with stingy data plans. The feature is able to recognize where there are free and publicly available Wi-Fi signals. It highlights those locations on a map, giving users the opportunity to surf the web without eating into their own megabytes.
The Find Wi-Fi function is available as one of the menu options in Facebook's mobile app. It will only be active if users set their location services to "Always," however, meaning that users may risk extra sapping of their battery life.
The app is able to remember what areas and businesses around a given city have free Wi-Fi by recognizing when users are on a free and public network. Further, businesses can include that information on their Facebook pages.
Wi-Fi Hot Spot Locators
Facebook's 'Find Wi-Fi' Feature Shows the Nearest Wi-Fi Locations
Trend Themes
1. Find Wi-fi Feature - Facebook's 'Find Wi-Fi' feature allows users to easily locate free and publicly available Wi-Fi signals.
2. Free Wi-fi Mapping - Facebook's app remembers areas and businesses with free Wi-Fi, helping users find and connect to Wi-Fi networks.
3. Location-based Services - Facebook's Find Wi-Fi function requires users to set their location services to 'Always', presenting opportunities for location-based service providers.
Industry Implications
1. Telecommunications - Telecommunications companies can leverage Facebook's Find Wi-Fi feature to offer location-based Wi-Fi services to their customers.
2. Social Media - Social media platforms can integrate similar Wi-Fi locator features to enhance user experiences and increase user engagement.
3. Local Business - Local businesses can optimize their Facebook pages by including their available Wi-Fi information, attracting nearby users in need of Wi-Fi access.