Foursquare has decided to split the company’s app in two. People no longer check into place using the Foursquare app, and that realization has prompted the company to create a second app called “Swarm.”

The Swarm App

Swarm lets users check into a place, tag friends that they are with, and see what other friends might be nearby. For example: you could check into a coffee house, and look to see if any of your other friends are within walking distance. From there, you can call those other friends, and tell them to meet you where you are – hence the name “Swarm.” The app still allows you to check in, but it also combines a real-life social media-type feature with the whole check-in bit.

So if Swarm is the new check-in app created by Foursquare, what does the actual Foursquare app do? Foursquare still exists, but the new app doesn’t let users check-in. Instead, Foursquare now provides a ton of different details about any given location – kind of like Yelp. As it stands, people aren’t checking in with Foursquare any more, and apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Secret are gaining popularity instead.

Availability

Swarm is available right now for both iOS and Android. You can download the Swarm app for your iPhone or Android phone now, and you can use both apps right away. Both apps are free, but your friends do have to use the Swarm app if you want to locate them while you check into places. Swarm could be fun if you want to hang out with some friends, but you don’t know what friends are in the area. This app might also be kind of creepy if someone wants to effectively stalk you, which wouldn’t be hard using this app.

Foursquare is hoping that by splitting its existing app into two different apps, a large audience will be gained. It’s not so much that people don’t like to check into places anymore, it’s more than people want to use other apps to do so, and Foursquare just isn’t as hip as it used to be. There’s been a trend with apps lately, though, that Foursquare is following: keep it simple. Maybe by splitting the original app in two, the company can become a part of this trend – it’s hard to tell.

Ease of Use

Both Swarm and Foursquare prove to be easy to use. But, again, your friends have to use Swarm if you want to connect with people in the area, and that’s not always a possibility. Even though Foursquare is hoping to save the company with this app split, I’m not so convinced that people want another app that tracks friends or lets you check into places. In fact, I’m not convinced that people want more apps, period.

But, we’ll see if Swarm takes off. If this does interest you, make sure to check out Swarm and the new Foursquare app – the company does promise that checking in will now be much simpler and easier to do.