The new iPhone app West Fourth insists it’s not for gays looking to hook-up, but rather for gays who want to use GPS functionality to find nearby men “looking for lasting connections and relationships.” This is different from the Grindr application, which boasts 500,000 global users and also uses GPS functionality — to get your fix right now. Which is where West Fourth is headed, and no amount of marketing or intent can salvage.
Meanwhile, the gay travel website GayCities.com has released its own iPhone app, which, like social-location apps Foursquare and Gowalla, lets users check in based on where they are at any given moment. Just like Foursquare, users can become “Top Fans” of places they check-in the most. And just like Foursquare, it’s a ripe opportunity to get your home burglarized. But raise your hand if you think GayCities’ iPhone app will be used more often to find cute, undiscovered tapas spots, or to gauge whether anyone is at Splash Bar tonight.
Michael W.
Never knew about these apps. Thanks, Queerty.
I haven’t loved anyone since the first boy I ever had, the one who made me realize I was gay. Since we parted ways a few years ago, I’ve just been filling a seemingly eternal void with anonymous sex, preferably with guys who remind me of him.
Gorbeh
@Michael W.:
Me too 🙁
Normal Adjacent
West 4th NYC subway stop is my stop for work. I’ve run into friends, relatives, celebs, my ex all in the station. I’ve said to friends that I will meet my husband in west fourth station. Seeing this app makes me want to upgrade from ipod touch to an iphone.
Charles
I LOVE West Fourth! It’s definitely going to become a “connexion” if you will for the iPhone. Yes, it may need to gather more users, but I have no doubt they will join. These guys are trying to do something good for the community and I applaud them.
And the calibur of guys on there (at least in NYC) is far more substantial than their Grindr competitor.
Michael
Just deleted my GRINDR account after receiving a splash page message when I started up the app basically telling me that I HAD to vote democrat. Been a dem all my life but I don’t need a business or any other entity using their influence to tell me which way I need to vote. Talk about unethical!