Foursquare's Swarm becomes the new app for check-ins

Foursquare's existing app gives check-ins the boot as it prepares for an overhaul.

Foursquare has made good on its plans to spin off location-based check-ins to a separate app, called Swarm.

The new Swarm app is available now for iOS and Android. It allows users to check into nearby points of interest and see which other friends are nearby, just like with the existing Foursquare app.

One thing that has changed, however, is the "mayorship" system, which previously rewarded Foursquare users for frequently visiting a business. Instead of having a single mayor for each location, Swarm's mayorships will be based on circles of friends, so each location can have multiple mayors.

But Swarm offers some new features as well. "Neighborhood sharing" lets friends know when the user is nearby without having to check into a specific location. Users can also create "plans," allowing friends to coordinate on what they plan to do later.

Currently, similar check-in and friend-finding functionality is available through the existing Foursquare app, but that'll change this summer. Foursquare plans to remove check-ins from its main app, which will evolve into a recommendation service for nearby places of interest.

In other words, Foursquare will become a more solitary experience, aimed at telling users where they should go to eat, drink or pass the time. But it'll be powered, in part, by the social aspects of Swarm, which is focused on sharing whereabouts with friends.

By splitting its app in two, Foursquare is following the "unbundling" trend toward single-purpose social apps, rather than having one app that tries to do everything. Facebook has been leading the way on this front, having bought kept the photo sharing app Instagram and the messaging app WhatsApp as separate services after their respective acquisitions. The strategy is a response to standalone apps such as Line and Snapchat, which have managed to steal time and attention away from larger social networks.

In a blog post, Foursquare said many of the "playful" aspects of Swarm, such as mayorships and stickers, are still a work in progress. The company also said that it's still working on a Windows Phone version, which should be ready later this summer.

Join the newsletter!

Or

Sign up to gain exclusive access to email subscriptions, event invitations, competitions, giveaways, and much more.

Membership is free, and your security and privacy remain protected. View our privacy policy before signing up.

Error: Please check your email address.
Show Comments

Latest Videos

More Videos

More Brand Posts

What are Chris Riddell's qualifications to talk about technology? What are the awards that Chris Riddell has won? I cannot seem to find ...

Tareq

Digital disruption isn’t disruption anymore: Why it’s time to refocus your business

Read more

Enterprisetalk

Mark

CMO's top 10 martech stories for the week - 9 June

Read more

Great e-commerce article!

Vadim Frost

CMO’s State of CX Leadership 2022 report finds the CX striving to align to business outcomes

Read more

Are you searching something related to Lottery and Lottery App then Agnito Technologies can be a help for you Agnito comes out as a true ...

jackson13

The Lottery Office CEO details journey into next-gen cross-channel campaign orchestration

Read more

Thorough testing and quality assurance are required for a bug-free Lottery Platform. I'm looking forward to dependability.

Ella Hall

The Lottery Office CEO details journey into next-gen cross-channel campaign orchestration

Read more

Blog Posts

Marketing prowess versus the enigma of the metaverse

Flash back to the classic film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Television-obsessed Mike insists on becoming the first person to be ‘sent by Wonkavision’, dematerialising on one end, pixel by pixel, and materialising in another space. His cinematic dreams are realised thanks to rash decisions as he is shrunken down to fit the digital universe, followed by a trip to the taffy puller to return to normal size.

Liz Miller

VP, Constellation Research

Why Excellent Leadership Begins with Vertical Growth

Why is it there is no shortage of leadership development materials, yet outstanding leadership is so rare? Despite having access to so many leadership principles, tools, systems and processes, why is it so hard to develop and improve as a leader?

Michael Bunting

Author, leadership expert

More than money talks in sports sponsorship

As a nation united by sport, brands are beginning to learn money alone won’t talk without aligned values and action. If recent events with major leagues and their players have shown us anything, it’s the next generation of athletes are standing by what they believe in – and they won’t let their values be superseded by money.

Simone Waugh

Managing Director, Publicis Queensland

Sign in