Google is a giant tech company that’s good at uncountable things but it hasn’t had much luck with social networks, although it’s tried pretty hard. Google subsidiaries Orkut, Google Buzz, and Google+ have all to a very large extent failed, as well as messaging services Allo and Google Wave. Regardless, that hasn’t stopped the company from trying something else and that latest attempt is called Shoelace.
Shoelace is a social networking app that is hyper-local in that it wants to connect people based on specific events and shared in-person activities in the area where they live.
Shoelace App: 11 Things to Know About Google’s New Social Network
- Alphabet’s Google is taking a different approach to social networking this time around by focusing on the trees instead of the forest.
- The company’s new social networking app works to connect local users together for events and activities.
- The idea here is that it will make it easier for users to connect and meet up with others that share similar interest with them.
- For example, users that enjoy taking their dogs out for walks could all meet up at a certain time and perform the tasks together.
- It would also make it easier to plan for larger events in certain areas.
- This could include getting a group of people together to attend a local concert or check out a sporting event.
- Unfortunately, the Shoelace app is still only in its early testing phase.
- This means that it isn’t available in most areas.
- In fact, Google notes that the app is currently only up for use in the New York City area.
- The app is currently available on devices running Android 8.0, iOS 11, or newer versions of these operating systems.
- That’s easy enough for Android users, but iOS users will note that the app requires a Google account for use.
Contrary to other social networks, it seems to encourage people to spend less time on their phones and go do something in real life instead. Right now the network is only available in New York City, presumably to see how it works out before rolling it out to other cities.
Everything in Shoelace is built around “Loops,” like the loops in a shoelace. These are listings of events that can be shared with others on the app. You don’t have to have any of your own events and can connect to a number of event categories. The app learns then learns your preferences and begin suggesting new ones to you.
Shoelace is a mobile app now available for Android and iOS, but remember, only if you’re in New York City, at least for the time being. It’s available on an invite-only basis, although you can ask for an invite here. You do need an active Google account to get in the door, however.
The app was designed by Area 120, Google’s workshop for experimental products. It’s been speculated that even if Shoelace doesn’t make it beyond the initial beta stage in NYC, some of its features may eventually be incorporated into Google Maps or even another future Google service.
