Halo Waypoint, ATLAS real-time map app headed to mobiles

An official Halo Waypoint app, showing Halo: Reach stats, service records and custom challenges, is set to launch alongside an map strategy app called ATLAS.

Both apps arrive on December 10 for Android, iDevice and Windows Phone 7, and interestingly, while both apps are free on Windows Phone 7, the Android and iOS versions of ATLAS will set you back $4.99 or territory equivalent.

ATLAS stands for Assisted Tactical Assault System, and works with both Halo: Reach and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition. The app displays detailed information on all multiplayer and firefight maps, and you can pan and zoom around each map as well as check out the specifics of weapon and vehicle locations.

More importantly, on non-Firefight, non-ranked matches, it shows your location and that of your teammates - as well as their status - in "near real-time".

In an interview posted on the Halo website, 343 Industries explained that the app works by utilising Halo: Reach's "heartbeat" a rapid pulse of information sent back to the servers which has been a part of the game since its first title update.

Thanks, Joystiq.