Apple Maps is a pretty standard mapping software. It shares basic functions as other maps out there, allowing users to find addresses and plot a route to get there. However it seems that Apple Maps could soon starting getting more social, according to a recent acquisition by Apple of a service called Spotsetter.
Apple has yet to make an official announcement and based on Apple’s previous acquisitions, there is a chance that they might not even announce it, but according to TechCrunch, the Cupertino company has indeed acquired the company which was founded by two ex-Google Maps engineers, Stephen Tse and Johnny Lee.
So what is Spotsetter, you ask? Well it’s basically a social search engine of sorts that will offer up personalized recommendations on places to go. The technology can be overlayed on top of a maps interface, in which it will allow users to see recommendations/visits to particular locations by your friends or family members.
The service will pull data from social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Foursquare, along with reviews from the likes of Yelp, Zagat, and so on. In a way it’s kind of like Foursquare and Facebook which shows you where your friends might have been, but in a broader way since it can pull data from multiple social networks.
The negotiations between Apple and Spotsetter have apparently been going on for a while now, but closed last week after other companies started showing interest in them as well, or at least that’s what’s being claimed. In any case what do you guys think? Would a more social Apple Maps be something you might be interested in?
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