With this new social networking app, Google is trying to compete with Foursquare.
Google has a turbulent record when it comes to social networking platforms. In this area, Google’s best effort to date was Google+ that was recently shut down completely.
Google+ never leveled up to the expectations of its makers and fall largely behind its competitors Facebook. Now the company is ready to make another attempt by creating a hyperlocal social networking app, Shoelace.
You must be wondering why Google new project is named as ‘Shoelace?’ Well, the concept of Shoelace app is to bind the people having same interest together, just like the two laces keep the shoes in place.
Unlike other Social media apps, Shoelace is aimed to connect people who are looking for a company to join them in different activities, such as watching movies and playing sports.
It is not totally Google’s project. This hyperlocal social network is a new project created by Google Area 120. It is a community consist of Google’s employees where they get a chance to work on their unique ideas without the need for leaving the company.
In an interview with TechCrunch, a Google spokesperson stated,
“One of the many projects that we’re working on within Area 120 is Shoelace, an app that helps people meet others with similar interests in person through curated activities. Like other projects within Area 120, it’s an early experiment, so there aren’t many details to share right now.”
The following are the features of Google new app Shoelace:
1. Meet new people with a common interest. Regardless of using shoelace or not, people can share their interest with others.
2. Create events like playing soccer or going for a free comedy show and send invites to others.
3. Discover new stuff to do and make plans with other people just by a few taps. People can join you whether they use Shoelace or not.
One noteworthy point of Shoelace is, it’s in a testing period and everyone can not download this hyperlocal social network. It can be accessed only by invitations and the people living in New York City for the time being.
Google’s Shoelace app is live on the App Store and Play Store to the lucky ones who have received an invitation. You can also request to get access to the Shoelace app by filling up this form.
Google Area 120 new project looks like a combination of Facebook Events with group chat. Google has already tried the same method before. In 2011, Google launched Schemer that was based on the same concept of Shoelace but it failed and shuts down in 2014.
It would be interesting to see how Google’s new hyperlocal social network will fair among the millennials.
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