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Loopt

January 01, 1970

Loopt, Inc. was an American company based in Mountain View, California, which provided a service for smartphone users to share their location selectively with other people. The service supported all the major mobile operating systems. Loopt's services had more than five million registered users and partnerships with every major U.S. mobile phone carrier. Their applications offered a variety of privacy controls. In addition to its core features, users also had the ability to integrate Loopt with other social networks, including Facebook and Twitter.

Loopt, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryGeosocial networking, location-based services
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005)
Founders
Defunct2012 (2012)
FateAcquired by Green Dot Corporation
HeadquartersMountain View, California, US
Key people
Sam Altman (CEO)
Websitewww.loopt.com

The company was founded in 2005 and received initial funding from Y Combinator,[2] and completed Series A and B financing led by Sequoia Capital[3] and New Enterprise Associates.[4] The company's board members included TiVo-founder Mike Ramsay and Greg McAdoo of Sequoia Capital.[5] In March 2012 Loopt agreed to be acquired[6] by Green Dot Corporation for $43.4 million in cash, with $9.8 million of that to be set aside for employee retention.[7]

History edit

Initially called Radiate,[1] Loopt began with funding from Y Combinator. That summer, Stanford sophomores Sam Altman and Nick Sivo worked to build the first prototype of Loopt. They were later joined by Alok Deshpande as well as two of Sam's childhood friends, Rick & Tom Pernikoff.[2]

Loopt received US$5 million in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital and New Enterprise Associates and struck a deal to launch the service on Boost Mobile devices in September 2006. Boost Mobile featured Loopt in a series of commercials that are most known for the "Where you at?" tag line.[8]

In August 2007, Loopt expanded the service to select Sprint phones, and in June 2008, to Verizon. Loopt announced support for most GPS-enabled Blackberries on June 13, 2008.[9] Loopt received US$8.25 million in Series B funding in July 2007.

In February 2008, Loopt and CBS partnered to deliver location based advertising.[10] Seven months later, Loopt released an opt-in feature in Loopt's iPhone application, called Loopt Mix, which uses location-based services to enable iPhone users to find and meet new people nearby.

At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2008, Altman presented the Loopt application for the iPhone. Loopt for the iPhone became available to US customers of the Apple iTunes App Store on July 11, 2008.

In the summer of 2008, Loopt sponsored Black20.com's The Middle Show with host Dave Price.

In October 2008, Loopt was sued by Earthcomber for patent infringement.[11] The case was dropped by Earthcomber in March 2009.[12]

In October 2009, Loopt acquired Y Combinator-backed startup GraffitiGeo for an undisclosed sum.[13]

In March 2010, Loopt launched an upgraded version of its iPhone app,[14] incorporating place and event information to its Pulse database, bringing in content from ZVents, Metromix, and SonicLiving. These are added to existing content partnerships with Citysearch, Zagat, and Bing.

In March 2010, Loopt launched a product called Loopt Pulse, exclusively designed for the iPad.[15]

In April 2010, Loopt launched an upgraded version of its BlackBerry app.[16] The upgraded version includes the same places and events upgrade formerly launched in March 2010 for iPhone users.

In December 2010, Loopt launched Loopt version 4.0, which featured a completely updated design.

In March 2012, after raising more than $30M in venture capital, Loopt announced it had agreed to be acquired by Green Dot Corporation for US$43.4 million.[6]

SMS invitation issues edit

Users of Loopt must register their mobile phone number, full name, and date of birth. Loopt's privacy notice states that users can control who receives geo-location information via privacy settings.

When Loopt released its native iPhone application on July 10, 2008, the software quickly gained notoriety for sending Short Message Service (SMS) invites to users' address books, seemingly without the user's knowledge; additionally, the SMS service failed to respond to the industry required STOP message.[17]

On July 14, 2008, Loopt posted to its blog that the mass invites could be attributed to a confusing user interface, and they were working on an improved invitation flow.[18] Respect for STOP was announced July 15, 2008,[19] and on July 17, 2008, Loopt released an updated version which addressed the issues with the confusing user interface.[20]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Gannes, Liz (2014-03-18). "Y Combinator's New Head Startup Whisperer Sam Altman Is Quite a Talker". Vox.
  2. ^ a b Archived from the original on 2009-01-19.
  3. ^ . Archived from the original on 2007-12-10. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
  4. ^ . Archived from the original on 2008-09-14.
  5. ^ . Archived from the original on 2008-12-20.
  6. ^ a b "Green Dot to Acquire Loopt for $43.4M".
  7. ^ http://allthingsd.com/20120309/green-dot-buys-location-app-loopt-for-43-4m/ "Loopt’s Sam Altman on Why He Sold to Green Dot for $43.4M"
  8. ^ "Boost Loopt Commercial". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13.
  9. ^ . Archived from the original on 2009-03-02.
  10. ^ "Loopt and CBS Mobile Partner for GPS Location-Based Ads". Mashable. 6 February 2008.
  11. ^ Earthcomber Cries Patent Infringement Against Loopt
  12. ^ "Earthcomber drops patent lawsuit against TechCrunch, Loopt". 23 March 2009.
  13. ^ "More Details On Loopt's Acquisition of GraffitiGeo". 22 October 2009.
  14. ^ . Archived from the original on 2010-03-15.
  15. ^ . Archived from the original on 2010-04-11.
  16. ^ . Archived from the original on 2010-04-18.
  17. ^ . Archived from the original on 2011-12-29.
  18. ^ "Loopt In: iPhone Invite Confusion".
  19. ^ "Loopt In: Improved iPhone Invites".
  20. ^ "Loopt In: Get new version of Loopt for iPhone now!".[permanent dead link]

References edit

  • Sharma, Amol; Vascellaro, Jessica (2008-03-28). "Phones Will Soon Tell Where You Are". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  • Holson, Laura M. (2008-02-06). "In CBS Test, Mobile Ads Find Users". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  • Quittner, Josh (2008-06-09). . Time. Archived from the original on June 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  • Carr, Eric. "Location Technologies Primer". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  • Wong, May (2006-11-14). "Start-Up Offers Cell Phone Mapping Service". TechNewsWorld. Retrieved 2007-01-12.[dead link]
  • Reardon, Marguerite (2006-11-14). "Mobile phones that track your buddies". News.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
  • "Startup Offers Cell Phone Mapping Service". Sydney Morning Herald. 2006-11-14. Retrieved 2006-01-12.
  • Wong, May. . PC World. Archived from the original on 2006-11-13. Retrieved 2007-01-12.

External links edit

  • Official website  

January 01, 1970
loopt, american, company, based, mountain, view, california, which, provided, service, smartphone, users, share, their, location, selectively, with, other, people, service, supported, major, mobile, operating, systems, services, more, than, five, million, regi. Loopt Inc was an American company based in Mountain View California which provided a service for smartphone users to share their location selectively with other people The service supported all the major mobile operating systems Loopt s services had more than five million registered users and partnerships with every major U S mobile phone carrier Their applications offered a variety of privacy controls In addition to its core features users also had the ability to integrate Loopt with other social networks including Facebook and Twitter Loopt Inc Company typePrivateIndustryGeosocial networking location based servicesFounded2005 19 years ago 2005 FoundersSam AltmanNick SivoAlok Deshpande 1 Defunct2012 2012 FateAcquired by Green Dot CorporationHeadquartersMountain View California USKey peopleSam Altman CEO Websitewww wbr loopt wbr com The company was founded in 2005 and received initial funding from Y Combinator 2 and completed Series A and B financing led by Sequoia Capital 3 and New Enterprise Associates 4 The company s board members included TiVo founder Mike Ramsay and Greg McAdoo of Sequoia Capital 5 In March 2012 Loopt agreed to be acquired 6 by Green Dot Corporation for 43 4 million in cash with 9 8 million of that to be set aside for employee retention 7 Contents 1 History 2 SMS invitation issues 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksHistory editInitially called Radiate 1 Loopt began with funding from Y Combinator That summer Stanford sophomores Sam Altman and Nick Sivo worked to build the first prototype of Loopt They were later joined by Alok Deshpande as well as two of Sam s childhood friends Rick amp Tom Pernikoff 2 Loopt received US 5 million in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital and New Enterprise Associates and struck a deal to launch the service on Boost Mobile devices in September 2006 Boost Mobile featured Loopt in a series of commercials that are most known for the Where you at tag line 8 In August 2007 Loopt expanded the service to select Sprint phones and in June 2008 to Verizon Loopt announced support for most GPS enabled Blackberries on June 13 2008 9 Loopt received US 8 25 million in Series B funding in July 2007 In February 2008 Loopt and CBS partnered to deliver location based advertising 10 Seven months later Loopt released an opt in feature in Loopt s iPhone application called Loopt Mix which uses location based services to enable iPhone users to find and meet new people nearby At Apple s Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2008 Altman presented the Loopt application for the iPhone Loopt for the iPhone became available to US customers of the Apple iTunes App Store on July 11 2008 In the summer of 2008 Loopt sponsored Black20 com s The Middle Show with host Dave Price In October 2008 Loopt was sued by Earthcomber for patent infringement 11 The case was dropped by Earthcomber in March 2009 12 In October 2009 Loopt acquired Y Combinator backed startup GraffitiGeo for an undisclosed sum 13 In March 2010 Loopt launched an upgraded version of its iPhone app 14 incorporating place and event information to its Pulse database bringing in content from ZVents Metromix and SonicLiving These are added to existing content partnerships with Citysearch Zagat and Bing In March 2010 Loopt launched a product called Loopt Pulse exclusively designed for the iPad 15 In April 2010 Loopt launched an upgraded version of its BlackBerry app 16 The upgraded version includes the same places and events upgrade formerly launched in March 2010 for iPhone users In December 2010 Loopt launched Loopt version 4 0 which featured a completely updated design In March 2012 after raising more than 30M in venture capital Loopt announced it had agreed to be acquired by Green Dot Corporation for US 43 4 million 6 SMS invitation issues editUsers of Loopt must register their mobile phone number full name and date of birth Loopt s privacy notice states that users can control who receives geo location information via privacy settings When Loopt released its native iPhone application on July 10 2008 the software quickly gained notoriety for sending Short Message Service SMS invites to users address books seemingly without the user s knowledge additionally the SMS service failed to respond to the industry required STOP message 17 On July 14 2008 Loopt posted to its blog that the mass invites could be attributed to a confusing user interface and they were working on an improved invitation flow 18 Respect for STOP was announced July 15 2008 19 and on July 17 2008 Loopt released an updated version which addressed the issues with the confusing user interface 20 See also editFind My Life360 Location awareness Mobile phone trackingNotes edit a b Gannes Liz 2014 03 18 Y Combinator s New Head Startup Whisperer Sam Altman Is Quite a Talker Vox a b Loopt How it all began Archived from the original on 2009 01 19 Sequoia Capital provides funding to Loopt Archived from the original on 2007 12 10 Retrieved 2008 01 27 New Enterprise Associates provides funding to Loopt Archived from the original on 2008 09 14 Loopt Board of Directors Archived from the original on 2008 12 20 a b Green Dot to Acquire Loopt for 43 4M http allthingsd com 20120309 green dot buys location app loopt for 43 4m Loopt s Sam Altman on Why He Sold to Green Dot for 43 4M Boost Loopt Commercial YouTube Archived from the original on 2021 12 13 Loopt now supports Blackberry Archived from the original on 2009 03 02 Loopt and CBS Mobile Partner for GPS Location Based Ads Mashable 6 February 2008 Earthcomber Cries Patent Infringement Against Loopt Earthcomber drops patent lawsuit against TechCrunch Loopt 23 March 2009 More Details On Loopt s Acquisition of GraffitiGeo 22 October 2009 Looking for something fun to do Try the new Loopt Pulse Archived from the original on 2010 03 15 The Vision Behind Loopt Pulse Archived from the original on 2010 04 11 Plan your next move on the new Pulse on Loopt for BlackBerry Archived from the original on 2010 04 18 getsatisfaction com How can I never receive another Loopt SMS invitation ever Archived from the original on 2011 12 29 Loopt In iPhone Invite Confusion Loopt In Improved iPhone Invites Loopt In Get new version of Loopt for iPhone now permanent dead link References editSharma Amol Vascellaro Jessica 2008 03 28 Phones Will Soon Tell Where You Are Wall Street Journal Retrieved 2008 06 10 Holson Laura M 2008 02 06 In CBS Test Mobile Ads Find Users New York Times Retrieved 2008 06 10 Quittner Josh 2008 06 09 The Cheaper Faster iPhone Time Archived from the original on June 11 2008 Retrieved 2008 06 09 Carr Eric Location Technologies Primer TechCrunch Retrieved 2008 06 10 Wong May 2006 11 14 Start Up Offers Cell Phone Mapping Service TechNewsWorld Retrieved 2007 01 12 dead link Reardon Marguerite 2006 11 14 Mobile phones that track your buddies News com Archived from the original on 2013 01 19 Retrieved 2007 01 12 Startup Offers Cell Phone Mapping Service Sydney Morning Herald 2006 11 14 Retrieved 2006 01 12 Wong May New Ways to Keep in Touch by Cell Phone PC World Archived from the original on 2006 11 13 Retrieved 2007 01 12 External links editOfficial website nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Loopt amp oldid 1211905013, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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