Windows 7 has launched a new programming interface that is designed to make it easier for software to figure out where a particular PC and its user are located. This way it makes it easier to find nearby friends.

Microsoft does have a variety of control options, like turning off location services by default, and the ability to limit such services only to certain users and applications. However, it does not allow you the preference of allowing only certain applications to access your location. Microsoft officials promise to give the control that it can give to them realistically.

Location-based services are said to be more secure in Windows 7 than it was in the past. This is an improvement, as before there was no way to actually turn off location information. At a lower level, Microsoft has a new application programming interface (API) that is for sensors. It has a second API for location. It supports Wi-fi as well as GPS. Applications can use longitude and latitude information to provide a variety of services to the customer. In that sense, Windows 7 is far more advanced now than previous installments of the OS.