Google has been a major part of our web experience and life as a whole to be honest. The search engine, YouTube, Gmail, Google Drive; the list goes on but the one aspect that Google hasn’t really made a breakthrough in is in Social Media. Not without trying though. Google persisted with Google+ for the best part of the last decade but finally discontinued app operations this past April.
Now, Google is back with another crack at Social Media with its latest project – Shoelace. The name of the app itself – Shoelace – is designed to make you think of tying things together and that’s what this app is all about; bringing together people who have similar interests and also help people find things to do.
For instance, you could create an activity, hand-picking them from the listed options or creating one on your own and add it to a map. Following that users will be able to connect others with similar interest through a group chat. It adds up to something like a combination of a Facebook event and a WhatsApp group chat; a mashup of sorts albeit with a clean interface. The app is still in tests and is experimented by Googlers as a part of the ‘Area 120’ incubator where employees can work on new ideas full-time without leaving the company.
Shoelace is not just like any other Social Media App though. It’s one that seeks to inspire real-world connections and that could be a factor that leads it to success.
