apple Apple snaps up Spotsetter social reviews app to boost Maps effort

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Apple has reportedly dipped into its rather deep pockets once again, this time to by the map-based social reviews app Spotsetter.

TechCrunch claims Cupertino has agreed a deal to acquire the firm and its founders, former Google Maps engineer Stephen Tse and Johnny Lee, who announced it was shutting down the Spotsetter app last week.

The app had aimed to being users recommendations by highlighting places people in their circle had visited on a map. In that way, it was rather similar to the likes of Foursquare.

It also brought in reviews from services like Yelp, Trip Advisor, Michelin and more and had racked up more than five million users.

Boosting Maps

For Apple, the firm is likely to plug the technology into its Maps app, which despite improving dramatically since its unpopular displacing of Google Maps, still carries the legacy of its early stutters.

Neither firm has officially announced the acquisition, but TechCrunch, which broke the story points, out that both founders LinkedIn profiles now reveal they work at Apple.

It isn't the first time Apple has dipped into the market to boost Maps. In recent times it has snapped up companies like Locationary, WiFiSlam, Broadmap, HotStop and Embark. Add Spotsetter to that list.

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