Going by the projections coming forth from Gartner Inc., this year will see the number of subscribers using location-based services (LBS) globally increasing twofold, even when there has been a decrease in the sale of mobile devices.

The end of this year will see the number of LBS subscribers reaching 95.7 million, up from 41 million in 2008, forecasts the analyst group. Furthermore, the year will also witness revenues associated with LBS increasing more than double - reaching $2.2 billion, up from $998 million last year.

The users are permitted, via the LBS, to search each other; and mapping and navigation capabilities are also supported by it, usually via GPS. However, it can also be supported by cell tower location.

According to Annette Zimmermann, a Gartner analyst, "The expected increase is due to the availability of GPS-enabled wireless phones, along with reductions in prices for services and the growth in application storefronts that offer location-aware software."