Foursquare has long been saying it's more than just a social check-in service, and now it's taking drastic measures to prove it.
The company on Thursday announced it is taking the check-in feature out of its main app, and launching a new app called Swarm to help you keep up with friends. Later this summer, the company plans to release a completely new version of its main Foursquare app that puts the focus on helping you discover great places to go.
"In the near future, the Foursquare app is going to go through a metamorphosis," the company wrote in a blog post. "An app should be able answer questions like 'give me a great date dinner spot' and not just 'tell me the nearest gas station.' We're right now putting the final touches on this new, discovery-focused version of Foursquare."
If you're wondering about check-ins, that's where Swarm comes in. The new app will let you see which of your friends are nearby, and share what you're up to — and the company promised it will be faster and easier to use than Foursquare today.
"When people install the Swarm app, Foursquare 7 will receive an update to focus on local search," a Foursquare spokesman told PCMag. At that time, the check-in functionality will be removed from the main Foursquare app, he explained, but you will be able to revert back to the traditional Foursquare experience if you wish.
Swam will arrive "in the coming weeks" for iOS and Android devices, and soon after for Windows Phone. You can submit your email address on the Swarm website to be notified when it's ready.
Foursquare said people today primarily use its app for checking in, and discovering new places to go.
"At home, you may be searching for a place for dinner," the company said. "After dinner, you are probably looking to see what friends nearby are up to. That's why today, we're announcing that we're unbundling these two experiences into two separate apps."
Swarm is for those who want to stay connected with friends while the new, more Yelp-like Foursquare app is geared towards "explorers who want to know about the best spots, and to share what they've found with others." The two apps were designed to work "seamlessly" together, Foursquare said.