Based on the number of apps in the Apple Store for dating/socializing/social networking and their pricing/operating costs – how much are you willing to pay for an application that helps you connect?

Would you prefer a “free” app but deal with the cost of SMS and other carrier related expenses? Or would you prefer a “free” app with constant ads being thrown your way? Or would you rather pay a one time fee of $5 or more to get the app free and clear with no carrier related costs no ads poping up and complete peace of mind?

If neither, then would you pay for something onetime that is a combination of a hefty dating site, social networking, & local entertainment?

Interestingly, this “Free” application has quite the hidden costs:

http://www.loopt.com/help/pricing

Also read another interesting article from GetaFreeiPhone.org

PS: these are old articles, I know but just trying to ramp things up regarding the current and future possibilities with this technology

There are plenty of articles online with a buzz around location based socializing. I think it would be a good idea to break them down based on category and list of some of the apps out there (please read of old but useful articles I found on tech crunch for these by clicking on the links below):

1. Location Based Dating

2. Location Based Entertainment

3. Location Based Social Networking

Each serving a different purpose and catering to a different demographic – well relatively. Underlying concept being “Location Based”. My previous post was based on a similar premise i.e. we have social networking sites, we have dating sites, we also have sites like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Zagat to help us find what we fancy.

It is not only an emerging market for any one site to offer all of these but it is also a potential market to move this to the mobile sector.