The SXSW social event is in full swing this week. The most notable announcement for iPhone users? Surely that is the return of Gowalla. Go-who? 
Gowalla makes a comeback
You have to be an iPhone user for quite some time to remember Gowalla. This social network launched at SXSW in 2009, along with competitor Foursquare. Both were for discovering places of interest, based on your social network. And while Gowalla had the best looks, Foursquare had the best business model. In our 2009 comparison of Foursquare and Gowalla, we gave Foursquare a score of 7, while Gowalla received an 8. The fact that the highest rated does not always have the longest breath is evident from the fact that Gowalla already stopped in 2012 after being taken over by Facebook. Foursquare continued independently and built a lucrative data business. Apple Maps, Uber, Snapchat, Spotify and Coca-Cola are a few well-known names that have used or still use Foursquare's (anonymised) location data. But Gowalla hasn't completely disappeared… it will come back!
Gowalla co-founder and CEO Josh Williams walks the annual SXSW festival, where music, technology and art collide. He wants to introduce a new location-based social network app there, under the same name and with largely the same approach. Gowalla's starting point is that people want to connect with each other locally, with the help of technology. You check in at a location that you share with trusted contacts. You can also see where your friends hang out. You can then meet them, but you can also try a restaurant based on recommendations from friends. If friends come often, it must be good, right? Known locations appear on the map, while you can also add your own location. You can also reply to friends' check-ins and save points of interest so you can visit them later.
More need for real contact
What is different now than ten years ago? There are many more mobile devices with location services, people have no problem using them and the networks are better. Think of Apple's Find My Friends, in which people like to share their location with their loved ones. In addition, Williams now has a better understanding of the two different audiences he needs to address: hardcore and casual users. Another difference is that Gowalla has a large list of investors behind it. And because people dare to go out again after a long time indoors to meet up with friends, go to parties and concerts, the timing is also good. There is also a business model this time: you can join for free, but for $40 a year you become a member of the Street Team and you get a t-shirt and all kinds of other extras. Moreover, you can skip the waiting list immediately.
Moreover, Williams thinks that due to the rise of all kinds of AI applications, people have a greater need for human contact, for personal advice that is ‘real’ are. The result is a smaller, more intimate and more authentic type of network and Gowalla is set to provide that. Ready to discover it (again)? You can install via the link below.