Ask HN: Is location check-in dead?

6 points by gfaremil 14 years ago | 5 comments

I would like to hear what people on HN think about location check-ins. Is there a future for startups focusing on it? It seems like Foursquare is going nowhere, Facebook is abandoning it, etc. Is this going to be replaced with Facebook just posting your location when you post something?

scorpioxy 14 years ago |

As a stand alone feature? I never really got the use case.

Other than using things like Google latitude to mark locations and routes for hiking and photography and the like; I didn't use any of the other services.

I would say that it would start being integrated into other services where it makes sense. For example, proximity services to share coupons or offers or reviews with your would-be customers...

diggum 14 years ago |

My feeling has always been there has to be something more than "I was here!" to make it compelling. For the most part, few people really (or at least SHOULD) care that you were just getting a coffee or in line at the water park. How can "your" presence at a particular location be compelling to me?

I've been working on a project (and realizing how dreadful my self-taught coding skills currently are) that uses that innate tendency we have to associate our identities or personalities with the places we frequent, and our desire to communicate with others.

As a side note, if anyone is looking for an interesting mobile/web app project to get involved with, I'm now looking for someone better than me with Javascript ;)

templaedhel 14 years ago | |

Put contact info in your profile.

Mankhool 14 years ago |

Yes there is a future. Gigwalk for example is a great idea (I was raising seed cap for the same thing when they launched) but it could be about more than taking photos for websites. Create a competing product that enables the buying and selling of all types of information based on location and make sure that the users at both ends of the transaction can remain anonymous. Alternatively create a product that will allow professional photogs and videogs to be located if someone needs a stock image or clip from their location. Disrupt the stock image/footage industry. Again.

billeh 14 years ago |

I don't see it as giving up, but rather tighter integration. It's easier to just check a box by your status saying "yeah, you can let people know I'm here," instead of the old option where it was a completely separate input.