Our thinking

where.are.you

5 July, 2024

This week, “locate.what3words.com” launches. This is a stripped-down version of the popular location app that divides the entire world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares, each identified by a unique combination of three words, so users can find and share precise locations. Now, emergency services, worried parents or lost friends can SMS the link to people who can’t describe their location and don’t have the what3words app installed. It uses only 25KB of data – even if you have almost no signal in a remote location, chances are it will still work for you.

Beyond the fact that it’s much easier to describe your position as “cherry-rails-animal” than cite your GPS coordinates, what3words is helpful in emergency situations, such as an accident in a remote area or for large-scale events such as festivals, where medical teams can reach precise points very quickly using the app. People also use it while doing outdoors activities to share their exact location, making it easier to meet up or find someone in case they get lost. And delivery services find it helpful too for locations without clear addresses, such as construction sites, rural properties or large population centres without clear address systems.

So you can now swiftly share the website link with anyone, without needing them to download the app. If you have any more questions, feel free to come and visit us at “planet.jukebox.flank”!

By Flora Gicquel