There’s a new contender in town, eagerly snapping at the heels of the big boys. Not that Facebook and Twitter have too much to worry about at this stage. Well, maybe Twitter a little bit. Last month technology website mashable.com reported that new social media platform Foursquare was approaching its 4 millionth member – certainly not a number to be sniffed at.
So, what is Foursquare? Well, according to their website, it’s a place to “Check-in, find your friends, unlock your city” or, more explicitly “Foursquare on your phone gives you and your friends new ways of exploring your city. Earn points and unlock badges for discovering new things”. Hmmm – sounds a little like Facebook’s Places App doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it is. Both function in more or less the exact same way – allowing users to update and comment on their geographical location at any one time.
Imitation, it seems, remains the sincerest form of flattery, much as Twitter built upon the foundations of Facebook’s status update feature. The release of version 2.0 for the iPhone will no doubt help Foursquare’s fan base grow, currently growing at an estimated 20,000 users per day (source: mashable.com) – a rate that is leaving competitors such as Gowalla eating their dust. Of course, this will also be aided by their partnership with Vodafone UK, announced earlier this year – a move that will see customers gain instant access to the feature via their new handset. A partnership with one of the UK’s largest mobile carriers will give the platform exposure to millions of potential new users. Not content it seems with a mere UK mobile market share, Foursquare’s General Manager Evan Cohen recently confirmed that the startup has reached out to “all major carriers and handset manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad,” and that they expect to “strike similar deals in the future.” (source: mashable.com).
Still, the platform has not been without its share of teething problems – with complaints ranging from geographical inaccuracy and system exploits to disclosure of personal information. The Foursquare team have however been quick to acknowledge and deal with any problems reasonably efficiently – no doubt very much aware that with so much choice available to the fickle user these days, brand loyalty counts for everything.
