Overview
3rd-i is a location-sharing mobile application designed to keep friends and family connected through real-time location updates. The app combines social networking features with navigation tools, allowing users to share their location, track friends, and coordinate trips seamlessly. The name "3rd-i" represents the third eye - the ability to see beyond what's immediately visible, in this case, knowing where your loved ones are.
The Challenge
How might we create a mobile application that makes location sharing feel natural, safe, and valuable for maintaining connections with friends and family?
Approach
The development of 3rd-i began with extensive user research to understand how people currently stay connected with their social circles. We discovered that existing solutions were either too complex, lacked privacy controls, or didn't integrate well with daily routines. Our approach focused on creating an intuitive interface that makes location sharing feel effortless while maintaining user privacy and control.
We established a cross-functional team including UX designers, mobile developers, and product managers to ensure the app would be both beautiful and functional. The team prioritized user experience, performance, and privacy from the initial concept through to launch.
Core Features
3rd-i provides a comprehensive location-sharing experience with several key features:
Real-time Location Sharing: Users can share their current location with selected friends and family members, with granular privacy controls.
Trip Coordination: The app includes detailed trip planning features, allowing users to set destinations, view multiple route options, and share trip progress with others.
Social Feed: A feed shows recent location updates from friends, making it easy to stay informed about what everyone is up to.
Group Management: Users can create groups like "The boyz," "Kids," or "The Girlz" to organize their connections and share location updates with specific circles.
User Interface Design
The app features a clean, modern interface with a focus on usability. The design uses a white background with blue accent colors to create a trustworthy and approachable feel. Key design elements include:
Profile Integration: Each user has a profile picture and username that appears throughout the app, making interactions feel personal and familiar.
Circular Design Language: Profile pictures, location indicators, and status icons use circular shapes to create visual consistency and a friendly appearance.
Intuitive Navigation: A bottom navigation bar provides easy access to the main features: Map, Home, Add Content, Friends, and Settings.
Location Indicators: Blue pins with location icons clearly show where friends are, while red navigation arrows guide users to their destinations.
Trip Planning and Navigation
One of the standout features is the comprehensive trip planning system. Users can:
Set Trip Details: Define current location and target destination with full address support.
Route Optimization: View multiple route options with different travel times and distances, allowing users to choose the best path for their needs.
Real-time Updates: See estimated travel times and get live updates as conditions change.
Location Sharing: Share trip progress with friends so they know when to expect arrivals.
The trip interface includes a large map view with clear route visualization, making it easy to understand the journey at a glance.
Privacy and Security
Understanding that location data is sensitive, we implemented robust privacy controls:
Granular Permissions: Users can choose exactly who sees their location and for how long.
Temporary Sharing: Location sharing can be set to expire automatically, ensuring users maintain control over their data.
Group-based Sharing: Users can share location with specific groups rather than all contacts, providing additional privacy layers.
Clear Visual Indicators: The app uses clear icons and colors to show when location sharing is active, so users always know their status.
Social Integration
The app goes beyond simple location sharing to create a social experience:
Activity Feed: Users can see recent location updates from friends, helping them stay connected even when not actively sharing location.
Status Updates: Friends can see when someone is traveling, arrived at a destination, or is available to meet up.
Quick Communication: Built-in messaging features allow users to quickly communicate about meetups or travel plans.
Technical Implementation
The app was built using modern mobile development practices:
Cross-platform Development: Built for both iOS and Android to reach the widest possible user base.
Real-time Updates: Implemented WebSocket connections for instant location updates and notifications.
Offline Capability: Core features work even with limited connectivity, ensuring reliability.
Battery Optimization: Careful attention to battery usage ensures the app doesn't drain device power during location sharing.
The Result
3rd-i successfully launched as a location-sharing app that feels natural and valuable to users. The combination of social features with practical navigation tools creates a unique value proposition that goes beyond simple location tracking. Users can now stay connected with friends and family in a way that feels effortless and secure, making the app an essential tool for maintaining relationships in our increasingly mobile world.
The app's intuitive design and comprehensive feature set have resulted in positive user feedback and steady growth, proving that location sharing can be both useful and enjoyable when designed with user needs and privacy in mind.