Waze 1 billion dollar valuation, what's the difference?

Absrtact: Recently, because of the bidding of two big internet giants such as Facebook and Google (Weibo), Israel's crowdsourcing map service provider Waze has become the focus of the technology media. The reason without it, largely depends on the importance of online maps in the future mobile Internet field is available

Recently, the bidding of two big internet giants, Facebook and Google, has made the Waze of Israel's crowdsourcing mapping service a focus of concern for the tech media. The reason for this is that it is largely dependent on the importance of online maps in the future of mobile Internet, which may be the real gateway to mobile Internet. And Waze is a very good map service provider, for bidders, it provides far more value than the image filter, sharing.

What's the difference between Waze's 1 billion dollar valuation?

A large and fast-growing user base with loyalty

In terms of Waze's user growth, the number of users was only 10 million in January 2012 and 20 million in July. The number of Waze worldwide has reached 28 million in November. To today's 40 million users, it is evident that the rapid increase in user potential. The user base has not lost the Instagram that Facebook bought a year ago.

At the same time, as a driver of the map tool, Waze is particularly popular in areas with low driving level.

Second, bypass user privacy concerns use unique experience

In order to use Waze navigation, drivers must first "contribute" their driving and location information, so that users contribute to the process of personal privacy "normalization."

To obtain accurate crowdsourcing map services, users have two choices: they can voluntarily submit useful information, such as nearby gas stations, road closures or traffic accidents, users can also passively use Waze services, by Waze to collect information.

In addition, each wazer to map editing and re-creation can help other Wazer choose the best time-saving travel routes, this UGC itself is a mutually beneficial behavior.

Third, the outstanding social function data richer

One of the features of Waze's application is to highlight social functions and to map the route of a large number of users. Waze not only provides accurate map navigation services, also from the user's mobile phone to continuously collect information about vehicle speed, direction and other data, to calculate real-time traffic messages, which for Waze is a valuable asset for Google, which itself has provided map services for enterprises, it is a huge potential threat. "Sometimes the best offense is defending," said one person familiar with the Waze's motives for Google's takeover. ”

What can Waze bring to the bidding business?

"Whoever owns the map data has the advantage." "The University of Notre Dame management lecturer, Blaine PROVT, has evaluated the map service." Online map service becomes the key resource of mobile interconnection strategy. The map service has become the most common application in the intelligent machine, and it is also the key to attract users and enhance the viscosity of users. The important advantage of having one's own services is that it can be customized for the user, compared to the map services obtained through authorization.

Therefore, for enterprises, map application will be an indispensable core mobile applications. Every big tech company wants to have its own map service. Microsoft, Google and Apple all have their own map services, and although Apple's iOS map was a mess, the map strategy has yet to be abandoned by Apple. Alibaba also shares the gold map software, which shows the importance of online map services to these big technology enterprises.

In addition, maps will become an important interface for local discovery and local commerce, and help improve local search services for mobile internet companies. The map system is like an inexhaustible repository of data, provided by the client, including their location, habits, preference for businesses and destinations, which is why Apple kicked off Google Maps to develop its own map products. And Waze can provide the user data can well meet this demand.

About Waze

Waze was founded in 2009, and its investors include investment company Victoria Port (Horizons Ventures) Kaipeng TDF (Kleiner Perkins). Waze has developed a social map application for smartphones. Last July, the number of Waze users reached 20 million. Currently, this data has grown to 40 million.

Waze mainly uses online groups to provide drivers with the latest road information and to improve their driving routes through the Global Positioning system. If a user logs on to the Waze service while driving, when he encounters a traffic accident, a red line appears behind his car on the Waze map and warns other users. Users can also take photos of the scene of the accident so that other users will understand why there is a traffic jam, and they can also warn other users to avoid traffic accidents.

In the past two years, Waze has made a lot of updates to the products. October 2011 Integrated User reviews Yelp and check-in foursquare,2012 February iOS version apps for new voice query and navigation features. In June, Waze added features to mark the location of gas stations and oil prices, and this update is likely to help Waze find a profit model-location-based advertising.