INQ, one of the first partners to add the Facebook social layer to its Cloud Touch phone has announced today via Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley at TechCrunch that it will be using the Foursquare location layer to visualize location content for its users.
The Foursquare INQ phone will have all of the requisite Foursquare features, including checkins, places nearby, tips, to do, all powered by the Foursquare API.
“It feels pretty amazing to see what INQ has done with its API. Because it’s built directly into the Android system, you can check in and explore without even firing up the application,” a Foursquare representative said.
“We want the average consumer to really start to discover and explore location based Foursquare content,” say INQ CEO Frank Meehan. In addition to Facebook and Foursquare, Spotify is already integrated into the phone but only for European and Asian users. INQ and CloudTouch is still finalizing the deal with the US carriers now.
“These guys are trying to make the best phone possible,” said Crowley, “Foursquare integration is a logical step.”
In six weeks, the Foursquare integration will be available for European and Asian users, but Meehan will not give a date for the US Cloud Touch launch just yet. Foursquare currently has over 9 million users over the iPhone, Blackberry and Android platforms.
Foursquare is a geographical location based social network that incorporates gaming elements. Users share their location with friends by “checking in” via a smartphone app or by text message. Points are awarded for checking in at various venues. Users can connect their Foursquare accounts to their Twitter and Facebook accounts, which can update when a check in is registered. By checking in a certain number of times, or in different locations, users can collect virtual badges. In addition, users...
INQ is an innovative social brand, making Social Mobiles for the Facebook generation. Born and bred in London; with offices in Rome, San Francisco and Beijing; INQ was founded in 2008 as a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa. The company is a collective of designers and engineers with a passion to make social interactions easier. Since its inception in 2008, INQ have had a considerable influence on the integration of the Internet with mobile, through its earlier award-winning products such...
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