There are some who view any kind of location-based social networking as creepy. But there are others who see it as the key ingredient in moving the online social networks into the real world. One type of online social network in particular could lead the way in that trend: Dating sites. At least, that’s what Skout is hoping for with its new iPhone application.

Set to be unveiled this week at the iDate conference in Miami, Skout claims to be the first online dating site with a native iPhone app. That’s not entirely true, there are others like Dating DNA, but Skout is potentially more interesting because of its location emphasis and compatibility with other mobile devices.

If you’ve used any other location-based social networking apps on the iPhone such as Loopt or Brightkite, Skout is similar, except that its sole emphasis is on helping you find people to date. You load up the app and can see others around you who are also running it. If you see someone who you think you might be compatible with, you can click on their picture to find out more about them, see a stream of their recent activity on the site (like the Facebook News Feed or Wall), look at pictures and comment on items, and even live chat with them.