GPS navigation service TomTom added a new feature to its turn-by-turn directions app for iOS Tuesday. Now it pulls in location data from Foursquare to let you navigate to popular places. If you’re logged in, it can check you in automatically when you arrive.
For people who enjoy logging their travels, this is a handy feature. TomTom has provided the same functionality with Facebook Places since its last update.
In addition to offering its own map apps, TomTom licenses map data to Apple. In the next version of iOS coming out soon, Apple has replaced Google Maps with its own mapping application for the iPhone and iPad, which uses TomTom’s location data as a source.
Wouldn’t it be convenient for location loggers if Apple integrated Foursquare into its maps as well? If it provided the same service as TomTom itself, it would take away the hurdles of using Foursquare, like switching to a separate app and checking in manually.
But there are even more reasons Apple should integrate Foursquare data, which is why I’ve recommended that Apple should buy Foursquare outright.