Google Maps Mobile Now Has Virtual GPS

Today Google released an update to its Google Maps Mobile application, and has added support for Virtual GPS. Dubbed ‘My Location’, the new feature uses cell tower triangulation and talks to the towers that you are using at the time. It then displays this information as an approximate location on the map, allowing you to easily figure out where you are, and then use Google’s already powerful Maps Mobile application to see where you want to go.

Google has also put together this fun little video, explaining how it works. Since this isn’t true GPS, the location is not going to be 100% accurate, but at least it gives you a better idea of where you are, and it’s alot easier than being in a strange place and trying to locate your current location for a navigation application.

If you don’t remember, Google recently purchased Jaiku, a micro-social-blogging service that uses a similar feature to update a users location via the mobile client. Hopefully we all see what’s coming next – the ability for advertisers to purchase mobile mapping ads. Since My Location does not require a GPS chip in the handset, it works with nearly any handset on the market.

The video, which you can watch here, states that personally identifiable information is not shared with Google, but what do you think? Is this a bit scary, or incredibly useful?