“Microsoft Corp. and American Express Co. are vying to take an equity stake in Foursquare Labs Inc., according to people with knowledge of the discussion,” Sarah Frier, Douglas MacMillan and Dina Bass report for Bloomberg.
“The two companies are competing to invest in Foursquare rather than cooperating on a joint bid, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. Foursquare is talking with other companies about a possible investment, and the talks may not lead to a deal, said another person with knowledge of the matter,” Frier, MacMillan and Bass report. “Foursquare, which lets users check in to show they’re visiting a place like a restaurant or shop, is also negotiating with venture capitalists who own convertible debt about turning their holdings into equity, said one of the people.”
Frier, MacMillan and Bass report, “A stake in Foursquare would give Microsoft, the world’s largest software maker, a bigger role in social media and mobile, areas where it has lagged behind competitors such as Apple Inc.”
MacDailyNews Take: Again, Bloomberg, by what measure is Microsoft “the world’s largest software maker?” Apple makes software, too. Units? Try adding up every Mac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad – plus hundreds of millions of Windows PCs running iTunes and/or QuickTime. By that measure, Apple is the world’s largest software maker. Market value? Apple is worth nearly $200 billion more than Microsoft. By that measure, too, Apple is the world’s largest software maker. Profit? Puleeze. Apple makes more money than Microsoft, too. By that measure as well, Apple is the world’s largest software maker.
It’s past time to purge your boilerplate description of Microsoft, Bloomberg.
Frier, MacMillan and Bass report, “Foursquare still sees about 6 million users checking into locations each day — a rate that hasn’t changed since April. To help boost the figure, the startup updated its mobile applications on iOS and Android operating systems, plus a new version for Windows 8. The updates included a feature that lets people check their friends into locations in addition to themselves. The company said yesterday it’s also unveiling a technology that will send users automatic recommendations when they visit a new restaurant or neighborhood, without having to open the application.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: You know who really loves Foursquare? Woz.
For us, that’s just too much information to be made public. SOmetimes we worry about Woz. There are a lot of crazies in this world Apple’s Find My Friends is about as far as well go – and only in relatively rare circumstances like concerts, Disneyworld, etc.