Today we launch the public beta version of Esri’s Geotrigger™ Service! This allows developers to add location awareness and location-based alerts to apps for iPhone and Android. There’s so much excitement around this particular service—of the many we provide to developers (think geocoding, routing, geoenrichment, and of course maps).

How does it work? An invisible area on a map has an action or message associated with it. When your mobile device crosses into the “trigger zone” the Geotrigger Service sends a location-based message to that device, or even notify your server for custom events.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The Geotrigger Service runs in the cloud. That means all you have to do is add the Geotrigger SDK to your application, set up push notifications, and associate your client ID with the service. Finally, define your geofences, push notifications into the service, and begin testing your location-aware apps.
2. The Geotrigger Service provides a new level of functionality for your apps! Now your apps can easily send messages to users when they arrive at or leave areas you define with a geofence. And, quickly gather business intelligence such as where people are and what time it is when the app is used.
3. Stop worrying about battery drain. Have you used a location-based app and watched your battery drain? Our service reduces battery drain when running location-based apps.
4. Free while in beta. ArcGIS Online subscribers are invited to try the Geotrigger Service API and its iPhone and Android SDKs for free until its final release in early 2014. We’ll use your feedback to shape the future of the service.
5. The sky is the limit. We cannot think of any industry that would not benefit from an app built using the Geotrigger Service. Here’s some examples:

Retail and Loyalty: Engage customers with personalized content and deals the moment they enter a store.

Real Estate: Send messages to prospective home buyers when their search criterion matches a home nearby.

Energy Management: Use your location to automatically manage power consumption in your home or office.

Tourism: Bring public attractions to life by informing tourists of interesting locations as they explore your city.

Public Alerts: Notify citizens about events such as road closures or civic emergencies based on past locations.

Ready to build your next app with the Geotrigger Service to your app? Check out https://developers.arcgis.com/en/geotrigger-service/