INQ smartphones to get Foursquare homescreen

Foursquare, the location-based social network, must have been hit hard by the introduction of the similar-but-further-reaching Facebook Places. Having presumably spent the last year or so licking its wounds, the service has just managed to sign a deal with INQ, makers of the social network-savvy ‘Facebook phones’, to ensure that a bespoke Foursquare homescreen appears on the phones next to their rival’s.

By simply swiping across, INQ owners will be presented with an Entire screen filled with foursqaure info, including a feed on where your friends have signed into and recommendations on places to check out based on your previous jaunts around town.

But what if you’re not a Foursquare member? CEO Frank Meehan has that one covered: “We’re looking to make it really easy for a consumer to discover and sign up to foursquare itself, via the start-up sequence,” he says.

“Then we’re taking Foursquare’s great knowledge of the world around you and visualising that on your home screen, enabling you to explore events, restaurants, clubs and even bookmark places in a to-do list.”

Is this a good addition to INQ phones’ social line-up, or just more unnecessary checking-in? Let us know on the Gadget Helpline Twitter feed.