Foursquare has changed the design of its logo and user interface for a unique app experience catering to the tastes of different users.
Foursquare, the mobile-based social networking service, has made its biggest move since the unbundling of check-in and local recommendation features in May. The company announced Wednesday that its main Foursquare app will feature a new logo and a redesigned interface to comply with the changes it applied two months ago.
"This is the beginning of the 'personalized local search' future we've been talking about since we started Foursquare," the company said in its official blog, Wednesday. "It's been built with the help of our amazing 50,000,000-strong community, with all your tips, check-ins, photos, and the smarts we layered on top of that."
In its biggest moves, Foursquare has moved check-in feature to the new app Swarm, while keeping the local recommendations under the same brand. The transition will not affect the saved check-ins, friends list and photos, which will automatically move to Swarm.
The redesigned logo is entirely different from the old one, which had a bouncy ball and a check-mark. The new logo is a pink hued F-flag, which according to Foursquare is a mix of a map pin and "superhero emblem."
With the new app, Foursquare is looking to compete with local search apps like Yelp and Google Places.
The app has also received a major redesign on the inside. It features a new navigation bar at the bottom, which features four distinct options, Find a Place, Here, Tips and Profile. A search bar on the top of the app will allow users to cater to specific needs. Users can also look for places based on Lunch, Brunch, Breakfast, Coffee and Dinner, making it easier to sort out the long list.
Users who still want to use the check-in feature must download the Swarm app. The app is currently available for Android and iOS devices with a Windows Phone version coming in the next few weeks.
Even though Foursquare has completely shifted its check-in feature to Swarm, the company said both apps work seamlessly together. If the Swarm app is installed on the smartphone, users can directly check a place from the Foursquare app without separately accessing Swarm. A new option below the restaurant rating called "check-in" will appear when users have the Swarm app on the phone.
Foursquare for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone smartphones can be downloaded for free here.
