We all know that Apple’s maps are not exactly anything to write home about, and I’m sure Apple is more than aware too. However, things might be on the mend for the Cupertino firm and their current map offering, as rumours circulating the web is that the multibillion pound company are in the process, or, have already acquired a small start-up called Spotsetter.
Now, for anyone that hasn’t used Spotsetter before, essentially the idea behind the application is that it offers its users personalised recommendations on places to go based on wherever the user might be. It displays trusted reviews on nearby places of interest, and also gives you the ability to see whether any of your friends have visited and recommend a particular place too.
I’m guessing some of you are probably thinking that Spotsetter sounds a lot like Foursquare, well to be honest, it is! The app uses a lot of data available from Foursquare, along with data from other social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in order to function.
Also, something that’s quite interesting about Spotsetter is the people behind the app. Stephen Tse happens to be an ex-Google Maps engineer, while Johnny Lee is ex-Siemens consultant and FitFiend CTO. Therefore Apple would be gaining some valuable knowledge when it comes to the navigation/mobile apps experience.
While Apple have kept tight lipped about any acquisition at the moment, Johnny Lee did just recently announce via the Spotsetter website that the company is closing down, in addition the app is no longer available on either Google Play or the App Store. So, if the takeover does turn out to be the real deal, iOS users can expect to see the features of Spotsetter neatly integrated into Apple’s Maps application in the near future.