Yet another mobile social local app has entered the fray to compete with the likes of Highlight and the rest, and it’s called City Chatter. The app is meant to be the “antisocial” network, according to the email pitch we received, though I’m not quite sure how that could be the case as one of the main features is group chat among those in your vicinity.
It’s actually rather Sonar-like, as users can check out profiles of those nearby before saying anything. You can then enter a public group chat for the area (like the cafe or park you’re hanging out in), or enter into a private chat with someone nearby.
It’s pretty simple. When you arrive at a restaurant or a party, check in, just like you would on foursquare. You’ll then see everyone who’s around, though they’ll have to also have the City Chatter app. From there, you can have a group chat with the venue’s visitors, or you can have a one-on-one chat with someone you’re interested in, friend or not.
You are able to see everyone’s profile, though the information shared is totally customizable within privacy settings.
Unfortunately, City Chatter may have trouble dealing with empty room syndrome. The app launched today, so it makes sense that there were no users in my vicinity. But Sonar solved this by pulling in publicly available data to match you with people nearby, whether they have the app or not.
In any case, this could be a big competitor in the space as the UI is pretty simple and, though not “frictionless” like Highlight, it won’t drain your battery.
The app is free and available now from the App Store.
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