Foursquare’s future shows importance of patience in technology acquisition process
Rash decisions are hardly ever successful, especially in the business world. For owners who are considering selling their technology business, it is particularly important to comb through all factors and ensure that the final decision is the best one for the company.
Foursquare, the popular social media company, could be undergoing that exact scenario, as several reports say that it could be considering several options for a business to acquire it. Organizations such as Apple, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! have all been listed as firms that might want to make a technology acquisition of Foursquare, but nothing has been confirmed.
With Foursquare's latest application, many technology companies could be interested in making an offer.
According to TechCrunch, Foursquare recently launched "a feature that will ping phones with personalized recommendations based on a user's targeted physical location, without needing them to check in at all."
For example, when a customer steps into a particular cafe or bar, he or she could receive a notification giving suggestions on foods to order. Or, if a review explains other aspects of a venue – such as whether a pinball machine works – Foursquare users could also be notified of those instances.
This could be a boon for advertisers as well, because it will give them an opportunity to target customers by their location.
A contribution piece in Inc. Magazine suggested that if this new "post check-in app" is successful, it could create an ideal exit strategy for Foursquare. It is just a matter of determining which firm has complementary goals and will be a good choice for Foursquare's future.