14 DAY TRIAL // A new version of the popular Foursquare application is now available for download for Android users, namely Foursquare 3.0, with focus on discovery, encouragement, and loyalty.
There are a series of new features available for Android phone users that would make their experience with the application better than before, and more of them would become available in the coming months, it seems.
In a post on the company's blog, Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley announced the availability of the new flavor of the application, talked a little about their vision of the world, and also unveiled some info on their plans for other mobile platforms.
“We started foursquare with the idea of “making cities easier to use,” focusing on check-ins as the atomic unit of measuring interest in a place. […] The world becomes so much more fun, social, and interesting when you have that context,” he notes.
“We’ve long wanted to build those things that can augment your experience of the real world – software that introduces you to new places and new experiences – and with the launch of foursquare 3.0 we’re getting a little closer to that vision.”
When it comes to the new version of the Android app, new features available for users would include an “Explore” tab, which should offer users the possibility to discover what they are looking for much easier than before.
A new leaderboard is available with the latest release of the application, with points for check-ins and various actions, including the discovery of new places, getting groups together, and more.
Another change with the app will arrive later this week, in the form of six new types of foursquare Specials for merchants: “Business will now be able to offer Specials to swarms, groups of friends, regulars, newbies, Mayors, or simply to everyone,” the blog post continues.
Foursquare 3.0 for Android is accompanied by a similar version of the application for Apple's iOS devices, and should be followed later this week by a new version of Foursquare for BlackBerry. However, that application update won't pack the same feature as the new release for Android.
At the same time, the company confirmed that users of Windows Phone and Symbian device might soon be able to enjoy dedicated applications as well, though a specific release date was not unveiled at the moment.
