End of an era? “Foursquare is killing its city guide app to focus on the check-in app Swarm

I sometimes wonder about the decision-making process at Foursquare HQ. Recently, I saw that Foursquare is killing its city guide app to focus on the check-in app Swarm and wondered again. A decade ago, they killed their very successful app to promote their check-in app, Swarm. They now decided to kill the app totally and focus on Swarm—such wasted resources. I loved Foursquare, an excellent example of a gamification and location-based app. I have used many apps but none was better than this one.

Foursquare has announced that it will be shutting down its City Guide app to focus on its check-in app, Swarm. Here are the key details about this development:

Shutdown Timeline

• The Foursquare City Guide app will be discontinued on December 15, 2024[1][2][3].
• The web version of City Guide will remain accessible until early 2025[1][2].

Reasons for the Change

• Foursquare stated that this decision was made to “focus our efforts on building an even better experience in Swarm”[1][3].
• The company plans to introduce new features and capabilities to Swarm throughout the coming year[3].

Historical Context

• Foursquare originally launched in 2009 as a single app for check-ins and local recommendations[2][5].
• In 2014, the company split its services into two separate apps: Swarm for check-ins and Foursquare City Guide for local recommendations[2][5].
• This latest move represents a return to focusing on the check-in functionality that initially made Foursquare popular[1].

Impact on Users and Data

• Users will be able to download their data from City Guide, even after the app is shut down[4].
• Business listings from City Guide will continue to be available on Swarm[2][5].
• Foursquare has stated that it will retain the data and interfaces (API) set up for retrieving and modifying this information[4].

Company Status

• Despite this change, Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley stated that the company is “doing fine” with over $100 million in revenue[2][3].
• Earlier this year, Foursquare laid off more than 100 employees to streamline operations[3].

Reaction

• Crowley expressed disappointment with the news, saying he has “been in a real funk these last few days” over the decision[2][3].
• The move has been seen by some as the end of an era for one of the App Store’s earliest success stories[3][6].

This decision marks a significant shift in Foursquare’s strategy, returning to its roots in location-based check-ins while discontinuing its standalone city guide service.

Citations:
1. Neowin – Foursquare Announces Shutdown of City Guide App, Focuses on Swarm
2. Silicon Republic – Foursquare to Shut Down City Guide App
3. Engadget – Foursquare Shuts Down City Guide App to Focus on Swarm
4. Heise Online – Foursquare Reduces to One App
5. PhoneArena – Foursquare Sunsetting City Guide App to Focus on Swarm
6. TechCrunch – Farewell to Foursquare’s App
7. DonanımHaber – Foursquare Uygulaması Kapanıyor
8. Search Engine Roundtable – Recap: Foursquare Ends City Guide App