Question

I would like to develop an android/iphone app for automatic check-in/check-out based on the real time location updates.
Let’s say, At 7:00pm, 20 users are checked in a restaurant and 3 users left the restaurant at 7:01pm. My app should shows 17 users in the restaurant as of 7:01pm. My app should be able to update numbers of users in a place based on time interval.. Does Google API has check-in/out functionality ? If not, what kind of API I need to use ? Thanks !

Answer 1

In my humble opinion, this is tough to achieve. I will state why. Because it is hard to accurately determine a location to the nearest meter such that you can accurately determine which place the user is in.

Added to that there is a time factor. The more accurate you want a location information the more time it consumes.

Lastly, there is a refresh issue here. Are you going to poll every minute to get the greatest and best location? This can be very expensive.

In my experience, none of the apps are that accurate, starting with google maps such that you can pinpoint the exact physical place per se. There will be errors.

You need
1. either the user to physically confirm his location
2. Have some installment in the physical location it self to acknowledge

I dont know..if there is a way I am all ears.