Sprint unveiled 'geobrowsing' services that will give its XOHM WiMax users the ability to quickly look up local information based on automatic detection of the user's location when connected to WiMax.
What's interesting is that Sprint is not doing this the way cellular providers normally do it, which is to launch proprietary custom applications to lock in users. Sprint has promised that would make its WiMax network agnostic to devices and applications. And so far, it's staying true to its word — although with a privacy asterisk.
Because Sprint is opening up its network to all devices and applications, it needs other ways to monetize the network beyond just the standard subscription revenue. That likely means they will take their users — all of whom they know a lot about — and try to monetize them by allowing and vendors and marketers to target specific user segments, based on geography, age, interests, etc.