As a hardcore Foursquare
user, I hate to admit it but the service has lost a bit of its mojo with the
recent update which split
the service into two components – Foursquare and Swarm.
The new Foursquare functions similar to Yelp and expands on
the service’s previous efforts to focus on local discovery and recommendations.
Foursquare continues to deliver on both aspects but now relies on Swarm, its
sister app for new location data.
Swarm
functions much like the original Foursquare and is faster than its predecessor
for check ins. Some of the components migrated over from the original service
include the ability to see nearby friends, check in to various locations, and view
venue specific info. Added to the service is an increased
awareness of your location when you open the app, stickers to represent
actions, and similar to Facebook’s recent “Nearby Friends” feature, the ability
to broadcast and share your location with friends to increase the chance of
impromptu meet-ups.
Core components missing from the new apps include
the stat board, badges, points, and Foursquare's popular Mayorships.
The Foursquare breakup while not perfect isn’t a death
sentence for the location service necessarily. It’s likely only the beginning of the next
chapter.
As a longtime underdog in the social media world Foursquare
has adapted and changed with the times. It has proved it can be resilient and
focused on an established vision.
All being said however with its increasing age, it runs the risk of losing
ground to newer apps on the market. One of the most notable is Move. It was
recently acquired by Facebook and tracks movement and location without the need
for user driven check ins. Paradoxically, it’s powered by Foursquare for
location data.
For now I’m still in, even if it means I can’t be the Mayor
of my favorite spots.
