Forecast: Will an app based on our future locations really work?

A new version of the location app Forecast aims to connect us all with future check-ins and Facebook integration. It sounds promising, but will it work in practice?

Here at Shiny Shiny we seem to be over location-based sharing. There, we said it. We don't know what it is. We used to love Foursquare and Facebook Places, but something about sharing our whereabouts all the time just doesn't appeal to us as much anymore.

Sure we'll check-in now and again if we find ourselves somewhere pretty cool, unexpected or want to force a meeting with a business contact or potential love interest. But, the privacy concerns, issues of over-sharing and lack of 3G reception sometimes means it's just not worth the effort (unless it's alongside an Instagram photo, of course).

Well a new version of the location-based application Forecast aims to get us back into the swing of sharing our every movement, but the difference is you don't check-in as you visit places, you aim to predict where you're going to be later in the day or week so there's more chance you'll bump into those you know.

You begin by creating your own Forecast about where you're planning on going and what you're planning on doing there. This information will then be linked up to your Foursquare account so that your friends can receive notifications about what you're up to and when you do eventually check-in. Forecast's recent integration with Facebook also means your friends will be updated about your future Forecasts and your check-ins on your Timeline too.

One of the main aims of Forecast is to bring people together more, so if you like to think of yourself as a bit of a recluse, then don't bother sharing your location with anyone and everyone (although we'd like to think that's common sense).

Of course the basic premise of Forecast sounds appealing, but we do wonder whether people will stick to their plans and whether it'll seem like too much effort to "forecast" everything before you go ahead and even do it. However, the location-based app market really does need refreshing a little and rather than updating about present and past experiences, maybe looking into the future a little more is just what we all need to get us crazy about location again.

Forecast is available from iTunes for free.

[Via Digital Trends]

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