Foursquare has launched a new app called Swarm, confirming the split of its unified service into two.
Swarm is a standalone app developed for the check-ins and location sharing side of Foursquare. Users can expect to share their location with friends and use stickers when checking-in, instead of getting trophies, as well as seeing how often they have visited a certain place. There will be 10 stickers available initially but users can earn and unlock more through checking in and general use of the app.
Swarm will also be responsible for Mayorships, however these will differ slightly from mayorships as they are now; they will be allocated between friend groups rather than a whole location in general.
Foursquare explained the new way of using mayorships further; “With these new mayorships, if you and a couple friends have been checking into a place, the person who has been there the most lately gets a crown sticker, so you and your friends can compete for the mayorship of your favourite bar, without having to worry about the guy who is there every. single. day. Mayors 2.0 means that places can have many different mayors, one for each circle of friends, instead of just a single mayor at each place.”
The original Foursquare app isn’t going anywhere either and is set to focus primarily on discovery and will also be keeping its original name. Foursquare developers are however set to update the app in the summer which could bring with it a completely new revamped Foursquare.
Swarm is currently only available for download on Android and iOS, but they are developing one for all you Windows users so fret not.