Google shocked us with the news that they are shutting down Google+. Google+ was launched in 2011, which was meant to compete with Facebook, but unfortunately, it was shut down on April 2019.
Though it was not a very popular social networking site among us, but it had a huge number of admirers. Google+ was not only social networking where Google tried their luck; Schemer was another social networking which was launched in 2011, but this could also not work as per expectations of area 120 (Area 120 is a workshop for Google’s experimental products), so it was also added to the failed product list of Google.
Even after many failed attempts, Google cannot keep themselves away from launching its social networking site/app. Google’s area 120 team has now come up with the new and unique concept, and they named it Shoelace.
The concept of the Shoelace is not new; Google, in their previous social networking product, i.e., Schemer. The idea of finding and joining the activities was also found in the Google product Neighbourly, which is an Indian specific app.
So the concept of Shoelace is although unique, it is not unique to Google as they have already launched the products with this feature previously, which had not done great enough to survive in the market.
But why did they name it Shoelace? Here’s what shoelace team have to say about it (as mentioned in their official website)
We’re glad you asked! The whole premise of Shoelace is to tie people together based on their interests — like two laces on a shoe. We do so through activities — which are fittingly called ‘Loops.’
As you can see from the above quote, Shoelace is a mobile application that connects the people, especially of the same locality and same region who follow the same interest. Yes, it’s much similar to the dating app Tinder, but here, in Shoelace, you can connect with a person based on your and their interest, and you can plan some activity together in reality.
Shoelace is different from other social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram etc. On those platforms you can only connect with people from all around the world on the internet, you can chat with them, but in Shoelace, you can not only connect with them, but you can also plan some activities together. Area 120 is using technology to connect people in the real world.
After registering, the next step is to list your interests. Once you have selected your interest group, you can find people who are sharing a similar set of interest and connect with them. Next, you can join the activities which your connections are hosting. You can also create your activity and invite peoples to join you for the same.
Activities in Shoelace are called as Loop.
However, Shoelace is currently under test. Seems like this time Google doesn’t want to repeat the same failure things so now they have planned to test their product in New York City before offering it to the whole world. As they have mentioned in the FAQ section of their official website, the main purpose of launching the app only in NYC is to determine what works and what doesn’t.
One of the drawbacks is that even though it is launched in New York City, not everyone can use it. Even after you download it from google play store or Apple’s App Store, you can’t log in and have access to the app because you need to have an invite code which is given by Shoelace team. If you want to get an invite code, you can register by filling up a form here.
It is maybe frustrating for the users to get an invite code, but the fact is it may help to avoid the fake accounts whose intention is to spam. Other social networking sites are facing the issue of spammers and fake accounts, but they are not able to control it completely. The Invite-basis registration can ensure the spam-free environment of the app.
We are eagerly waiting for it to be launched in our region so that we can use it and give our feedback and reviews about this unique with unique features. If you have used this app, then please share your review and experience with the app below in the comment section, or you can also write to us, we will include your review in this article that would help us to educate our readers about this app.
