That's pretty interesting, I thought they were dead for sure after "doing a digg" by splitting off Swarm from the main app. How do they even collect data if hardly anybody uses their app anymore?
Snapchat is paying four square. That sentence in the article could be clearer, is confusing.
http://www.adweek.com/digital/snapchat-signs-data-deal-fours...
Thus, they sell a service and receive money and data from the users of those applications. I read other articles before telling how the information in their maps and APIs are impressive and the fact that you could use for free, if you are a small company, is a great deal. But, they are still not as valuable as they were before and they greatly depend on large companies. It makes me think that they are a great target to be acquired before becoming a unicorn.
It is quite clear that snap will bet heavily on AR and location. They have launched Spectacles and now a new way to discover content using location options. How long will they pay Foursquare to profit from their own data? Why do they not build a proprietary location technology or acquire another company that has?