Archinect - News 2024-05-04T05:40:10-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/140274306/apple-s-secret-indoor-survey-app-enables-a-crowdsourced-gps-for-interiors Apple's secret "Indoor Survey" app enables a crowdsourced GPS for interiors Amelia Taylor-Hochberg 2015-11-02T13:15:00-05:00 >2015-11-05T20:04:23-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/lr/lrmh5ghffwl8btci.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>Apple&nbsp;has a secret app in the App Store which allows some iPhone users to map the interior of a building using their handset. First discovered yesterday by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, an app called Indoor Survey has been available on the App Store since last week. The software is currently hidden in the App Store and is not operational, suggesting that the official launch is around the corner.</p></em><br /><br /><p>The indoor positioning app "Indoor Survey", which allows users to pin their location on a map within a given structure, seems to also function as a mode of "crowdsourced Ground Truth" to improve Apple Maps' accuracy. As the app is still "hidden" and not searchable, the only way to download is through a <a href="http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&amp;jsonp=vglnk_144648615142010&amp;key=e97682afa628bbf9014f553a2786f73d&amp;libId=igi8gfwp0100z8gu000DA1j9kqrbud7ydh&amp;loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.idownloadblog.com%2F2015%2F11%2F02%2Fapple-indoor-survey-app%2F&amp;v=1&amp;out=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fapp%2Findoor-survey%2Fid994269367%3Fmt%3D8%26at%3D11l4L8&amp;title=Secret%20Apple%20app%20lets%20you%20map%20out%20building%20interiors%20using%20your%20iPhone&amp;txt=Download%20Indoor%20Survey%20at%20no%20charge%20in%20the%20App%20Store&amp;loAsUuid=igi8gg76-455a9d7c-d4c0-4990-843d-7e6da1a777ae" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">direct link to the App Store</a>.</p><p>Before the app is made publicly available, there are a few caveats:</p><p>"Some Twitter users claim that you have to be an approved public venue representative to participate in this project, meaning the app may not work with your Apple ID.</p><p>Also keep in mind that Indoor Survey is currently available in select markets, is hidden in the App Store search and appears non-functional".</p>