What the Foursquare just happened?

Yes. Unpopular and slightly irrelevant to most social media fanatics who could share their location via other apps like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (some of the mostly used apps in Zambia), Foursquare has changed almost everything about itself with its new upgrade.

The Foursquare 8.0 version has now become more of  a city guide, as compared to its previous version that was used for checking into locations you’re in and then sharing them to other apps, a tedious process by the way.

It now has new colours, a deep rich blue and some pink too. What used to be a white big check-mark with a green spot at the tip of it is now just a pink ‘F’.

It has split the original app into 2 parts. There’s Swarm, which is only for location check-in, and Foursquare which allows you to personalize your tastes. Once you have created a profile on the app, it will give you the best options for places around you that offer what you’re into according to your taste, be it food, drinks, clubs, or shopping, etc.

It will even give you contact details about the place if available so you can make reservations if you have to. Plus you can see recommendations made about the places you search or are given options for from other Foursquare users.

I have to say the layout of the page that gives options and recommendations on this new Foursquare looks very cluttered, every little word wanting a user’s attention. They could have simplified it just a layer down.

However they have atleast done right by the user by incorporating filter options that allow you to manually sort through where you want to go, what you want to get and if it’ll be open by the time you get there.

What we wonder is if the new app will be location considerate. Will prices for things be in Kwacha for example, according to the information for a particular place?  Will local apps like Zaplaces be its Zambian competition?

We just have to wait for the update from Foursquare which should be available in a few hours on both App and Google Play Stores because a check on a device here brought up only the old version of it.

Image Credits: Teaven,Mashable