Apple could be looking to make the Maps app more of a social experience. TechCrunch reports that Apple has bought Spotsetter, a service that let users search for places based on recommendations from friends.
Spotsetter worked kind of like Foursquare, expect that it pulled from a host of other social networks, including Twitter and Facebook. The startup allegedly had big plans for wearables as well, which could bode well for an imminent iWatch.
“The deal, we understand, was mainly about acquiring the technology and the talent of the two founders, ex-Google Maps engineer Stephen Tse and Johnny Lee,” according to TechCrunch. Their LinkedIn profiles now show that they work at Apple.
Spotsetter used a special algorithm to pull in data from sources like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare and augment it over a map. The goal was to offer personalized recommendations for places to visit. Review platforms like Yelp and TripAdvisor were also used to offer more opinions than what your friends said.
The app is no longer available on the App Store or Google Play.
A few months ago, Spotsetter published a blog post that explained its vision for wearables. “We here at Spotsetter are quite bullish on the space, and we believe the key element for its success will be as much software as it is hardware. That killer feature is personalization, something near and dear to our servers.”
Personalization is something Apple still hasn’t really gotten right in the social sense, and Spotsetter brings that to the table.
Source: TechCrunch
