Foursquare, an American geospatial tech company is shutting down its City Guide application at the end of the year.
The social networking platform that allows users to check in at different locations is officially closing the doors of the app on December 15, 2024.
Ten years ago, CEO Dennis Crowley announced that the company was splitting the Foursquare core app into two different ones.
The Foursquare City Guide app remained and Swarm was born. The former was designated for exploration and discovery and the latter allowed users to check in at various locations and connect with friends who were nearby.
Now, the tech firm’s new move reverses the 2014 decision for two apps, instead will focus entirely on Swarm.
Dennis Crowley, the founder of FourSquare in a Threads post from Monday clarified that Swarm is staying.
“Btw, just to be clear, “Foursquare the company” is doing fine ($100M+ revenue, etc), “Foursquare City Guide” (the local discovery app) is being sunset (RIP), and “Swarm” (the check-in app) is sticking around as the workhorse,” he said.
In his announcement on Threads, Crowley expressed that he has been in a “real funk these last few days” over the closure of the City Guide app.
“The "neglect of FSQ's apps" story has been a drumbeat in my personal online experience for like 5 years now and I let it affect more than I should (aka: "dude, just get over it" is easier said than done),” he added.
The app end-users were sent out an email about the closure in which Foursquare said that after many wonderful years of leaving tips and reviews around the world together, the company made the tough decision to say goodbye to the City Guide app.
While the application will wind down by December this year, the web version will close sometime next year in 2025.
This article tells you everything you need to know about the Foursquare City Guide app, what it is, what happened to it and how to use it.
What is Foursquare City Guide?
Foursquare City Guide is a geospatial social networking service that lets end-users select preferences for places. Based on the users’ choices, the app provided recommendations for places to visit.
The app’s algorithm uses user’s data such as their check-in history and browsing history to suggest places to eat, drink, shop, and explore. Users could also follow friends and explore their check-in history to find new places to visit.
Foursquare also offers a platform for organisations to promote themselves and engage with customers through features like "Mayorships," which allow users to claim ownership of a location based on frequent check-ins.
Overall, the City Guide app allows users to discover the best places to eat, drink, shop, and explore worldwide, all tailored to their preferences. The Foursquare app received over 75 million tips from local experts, not only helping general users but also business owners aiming to boost visibility.
What happened to Foursquare?
Foursquare in recent times hasn't made as significant an impact as the other raging social media apps out there like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or even X and Threads.
Once used by Apple, Uber, and Coca-Cola, Foursquare was the go-to app for people seeking recommendations on where to eat, drink, shop, and explore. Now, it has reached its decline leading to closure at the end of this year.
Instead of checking out city guidance on a specific app, users seem to want it all in one place unless an app offers an experience unparalleled elsewhere. In recent years, netizens have moved away from niche apps like Foursquare but moved to Meta Platform apps.
People now look up hashtags on Instagram or TikTok to find recommendations for places to visit. They might follow certain individuals or influencers for guidance rather than watch out for users' ratings solely.
Due to changing trends, users have been deviating from app experiences like Foursquare. For instance, Gen Zs who are the prime users of social media spend more time on it than other age groups for food-related activities. They use platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to find recipes, cooking tutorials, restaurant reviews, and food challenges.
Gen Z often select restaurants and dishes based on their visual appeal and online popularity according to a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) research report.
How To Use the Foursquare City Guide App?
Foursquare City Guide app accessible until December 15, 2024, can be used on a desktop or by downloading the City Guide app on Google Play or App Store. Follow these steps to begin using Foursquare:
- Create an Account by signing up with Facebook, Google, Apple, or your preferred email address. Follow the prompts and input all information accurately.
- On the sign-up page, select your account creation option of choice.
- On the account information screen, provide the necessary information including first name, last name, email address, password, birthday, gender, and phone number.
- Click Done in the upper right-hand corner.
Note: When users sign up for Foursquare, they automatically gain access to the geospatial platform’s interconnected product – Swarm which can enhance their social interactions.
To customise preferences, users will be asked to select specific dishes, atmospheres, or preferences and refine their search. Tips mentioning their tastes will appear prominently.
Users can add tastes by hovering over their profile in the upper right corner via desktop or visiting their profile and clicking "Tastes." on the mobile app.
Tastes are showcased in watermelon colour. Click the plus sign in the top right corner of the Tastes screen.
