Google have unveiled an unusual new iOS and Android social app this week in their Play Store. Who’s Down is an invite-only app that lets your friends know you’re free to meet up. You can flip a toggle to show that you’re available, and add a status to let everyone know exactly what you’re “down” for – such as the cinema, a night on the town, or going out for lunch.
If any of your friends are up for your chosen activity, they will be notified and a chat will be launched so you can make arrangements. Your “available” status will last for three hours, and can be turned off manually if your plans change and you’re no longer free.
It’s essentially like a social diary or calendar with an added chat function. The app will only really be useful if most or all of your friends are also using it, so if you fancy giving it a go, you’ll have to persuade everyone in your social circle to download it too.
There are already plenty of apps centred around facilitating real-life meet ups, albeit usually designed to create connections between strangers rather than with the people you already know. Some of the most successful apps are centred around simple ideas, so Who’s Down could end up being a success story. Only time will tell if it will end up being as popular as dating and social sites and networks such as Meetup and Tinder, but we’ll be interested to see how this latest Google venture goes.