Part of the company's big bet on mobile.
Google has confirmed that it plans to release an API for its Latitude location-based service in the coming months, allowing third-party developers to incorporate it into their apps and mobile websites.
"We hope it will support and foster all sorts of applications," said Google's Steven Lee at SXSW yesterday, according to VentureBeat.
"Privacy will be very important to this as well. The user will choose for every application, whether they want developers to have access to that data."
Latitude first launched last year, allowing friends to track one another's locations on Google Maps, albeit with a firm opt-in process.
Releasing an API could boost the service's momentum, as right now it feels like a bit of a novelty.
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In separate news, Google's VP of engineering Vic Gundotra has reaffirmed the company's commitment to mobile, claiming that "Google has bet big on mobile".
What's more, he told analysts in a webcast that Google thinks mobile advertising rates are on course to overtake online advertising rates.
