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The Era of Frustration in the App World

It seems like every week another social app is changing the way we interact with others. One of the major changes we’ve seen is the required application change when attempting to perform an action. For example, Facebook now requires you to open its Messenger app to speak to people. Another new app with a similar concept is Swarm, the extension of Foursquare. First, I have provided some background information on Swarm, in case you are unfamiliar with it.

From www.ppchero.com

1. Swarm focuses on connecting people locally when a person is seeking an event or seeking a companion for the event. The home screen of the app features groupings of those in your vicinity, a bit farther away and those located a great distance from you. So, when you check in, upload a status so that people can respond if interested.

Also, the app let’s you know when your friends are in close proximity or if they want to meetup using push notifications, thus always keeping you up-to-date on the current happenings. However, in order to have these notifications, you need to have constant GPS use, which can severely drain your battery.

2. The second difference between Swarm and Foursquare is that Swarm incorporates Twitter, Facebook Messenger or SMS for quick connection, depending on access-approval. For example, if you get a notification that a friend is nearby, you simply tap on the person and it links you to a messaging app of your choosing to contact them directly. The best part? All your previous contacts in Foursquare will be automatically imported into Swarm, making your life that much easier!

But the question remains, why are we forced to upload new apps every time we want to do something else. If we want to speak to a friend directly, why can’t we simply message them through the app itself. These days, the pressure to adapt and innovate is excruciatingly high and they are taking it out on us.
Facebook is attempting to take over peoples’ lives by unraveling the app. “What we’re doing with Creative Labs is basically unbundling the big blue app,” Said Zuckerberg in an interview with NY Times. This is not only a nuisance, but it brings the issue of privacy (Read more here) into the equation, causing a lot of backlash and anger. Consequently, many are removing Facebook Messenger and turning to other platforms for social interaction, including me. It is simply unnecessary.
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