This article was published on July 24, 2014

Google Maps challenges Foursquare with new Explore feature on Android and iOS


Google Maps challenges Foursquare with new Explore feature on Android and iOS

Google announced today the addition of an Explore Nearby button for Google Maps on iOS and Android. The featuring is rolling out “starting this week.”

The new feature expands the Google Maps as more than just your go-to app for directions. Explore will adjust its results based on context, such as the weather and the time of day. Google recommends that you have location reporting and history turned on for the best results.

Explore 2
     
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Android users will be able to pull up venue information at their destination. As Google Maps learns more about the places you go to, it’ll get more accurate.

This sounds a lot like the new Foursquare. Google already has the advantage of serving up directions, so this could represent a serious challenge if it works well. Foursquare is in the midst of reinventing itself as it offloads all check-ins to its Swarm app. The main app will instead focus on timely recommendations and discovery.

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