Loopt

{{Infobox company

| name = Loopt, Inc.

| logo = Loopt logo.png

| type = Private

| foundation = {{Sda|2005}}

| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Sam Altman|Nick Sivo|Alok Deshpande}}

| defunct = {{End date|2012}}

| fate = Acquired by Green Dot Corporation

| location = Mountain View, California, US

| key_people = Sam Altman (CEO)

| industry = Geosocial networking, location-based services

| homepage = {{URL|www.loopt.com}}

}}

Loopt, Inc. was an American company based in Mountain View, California, which provided a service for smartphone users to share their location selectively with other people. The service supported all the major mobile operating systems. Loopt's services had more than five million registered users and partnerships with every major U.S. mobile phone carrier. Their applications offered a variety of privacy controls. In addition to its core features, users also had the ability to integrate Loopt with other social networks, including Facebook and Twitter.

The company was founded in 2005 and received initial funding from Y Combinator,{{cite web|url=http://www.loopt.com/about/history|title=Loopt: How it all began...|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119204733/http://www.loopt.com/about/history|archivedate=2009-01-19}} and completed Series A and B financing led by Sequoia Capital{{cite web|url=http://www.sequoiacap.com/company/loopt/|title=Sequoia Capital provides funding to Loopt|access-date=2008-01-27|archive-date=2007-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210074305/http://www.sequoiacap.com/company/loopt/|url-status=dead}} and New Enterprise Associates.{{cite web|url=http://www.nea.com/PortfolioCompanies/IT/ConsumerTechnology/|title=New Enterprise Associates provides funding to Loopt|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914083053/http://www.nea.com/PortfolioCompanies/IT/ConsumerTechnology/|archivedate=2008-09-14}} The company's board members included TiVo-founder Mike Ramsay and Greg McAdoo of Sequoia Capital.{{cite web|url=http://www.loopt.com/about/board|title=Loopt Board of Directors|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220134036/http://www.loopt.com/about/board|archivedate=2008-12-20}} In March 2012 Loopt agreed to be acquired{{cite web|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/green-dot-to-acquire-loopt-2012-03-09|title=Green Dot to Acquire Loopt for $43.4M}} by Green Dot Corporation for $43.4 million in cash, with $9.8 million of that to be set aside for employee retention.http://allthingsd.com/20120309/green-dot-buys-location-app-loopt-for-43-4m/ "Loopt’s Sam Altman on Why He Sold to Green Dot for $43.4M"

History

Initially called Radiate,{{Cite web |last=Gannes |first=Liz |date=2014-03-18 |title=Y Combinator's New Head Startup Whisperer Sam Altman Is Quite a Talker |url=https://www.vox.com/2014/3/18/11624658/y-combinators-new-head-startup-whisperer-sam-altman-is-quite-a-talker |website=Vox}} Loopt began with funding from Y Combinator. That summer, Stanford sophomores Sam Altman and Nick Sivo worked to build the first prototype of Loopt. They were later joined by Alok Deshpande as well as two of Sam's childhood friends, Rick & Tom Pernikoff.

Loopt received US$5 million in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital and New Enterprise Associates and struck a deal to launch the service on Boost Mobile devices in September 2006. Boost Mobile featured Loopt in a series of commercials that are most known for the "Where you at?" tag line.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew94okDkCwU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/ew94okDkCwU |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=Boost Loopt Commercial|website=YouTube |date=15 December 2006 }}{{cbignore}}

In August 2007, Loopt expanded the service to select Sprint phones, and in June 2008, to Verizon. Loopt announced support for most GPS-enabled Blackberries on June 13, 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.looptblog.com/2008/06/loopt-is-now-su.html|title=Loopt now supports Blackberry|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302125105/http://www.looptblog.com/2008/06/loopt-is-now-su.html|archivedate=2009-03-02}} Loopt received US$8.25 million in Series B funding in July 2007.

In February 2008, Loopt and CBS partnered to deliver location based advertising.{{cite web|url=http://mashable.com/2008/02/06/loopt-cbs-mobile/|title=Loopt and CBS Mobile Partner for GPS Location-Based Ads|website=Mashable |date=6 February 2008 }} Seven months later, Loopt released an opt-in feature in Loopt's iPhone application, called Loopt Mix, which uses location-based services to enable iPhone users to find and meet new people nearby.

At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2008, Altman presented the Loopt application for the iPhone. Loopt for the iPhone became available to US customers of the Apple iTunes App Store on July 11, 2008.

In the summer of 2008, Loopt sponsored Black20.com's The Middle Show with host Dave Price.

In October 2008, Loopt was sued by Earthcomber for patent infringement.[https://techcrunch.com/2008/10/03/earthcomber-cries-patent-infringement-against-loopt/ Earthcomber Cries Patent Infringement Against Loopt] The case was dropped by Earthcomber in March 2009.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/03/23/earthcomber-drops-patent-lawsuit-against-techcrunch-loopt/|title=Earthcomber drops patent lawsuit against TechCrunch, Loopt|date=23 March 2009 }}

In October 2009, Loopt acquired Y Combinator-backed startup GraffitiGeo for an undisclosed sum.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/10/21/more-details-on-loopts-acquisition-of-graffitigeo-and-its-plans-for-the-future/|title=More Details On Loopt's Acquisition of GraffitiGeo.|date=22 October 2009 }}

In March 2010, Loopt launched an upgraded version of its iPhone app,{{cite web|url=http://www.looptblog.com/2010/03/looking-for-something-fun-to-do-try-the-new-loopt-pulse.html|title=Looking for something fun to do? Try the new Loopt Pulse.|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315000456/http://www.looptblog.com/2010/03/looking-for-something-fun-to-do-try-the-new-loopt-pulse.html|archivedate=2010-03-15}} incorporating place and event information to its Pulse database, bringing in content from ZVents, Metromix, and SonicLiving. These are added to existing content partnerships with Citysearch, Zagat, and Bing.

In March 2010, Loopt launched a product called Loopt Pulse, exclusively designed for the iPad.{{cite web|url=http://www.looptblog.com/2010/04/the-vision-behind-looptpulse-for-the-ipad.html|title=The Vision Behind Loopt Pulse.|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411233017/http://www.looptblog.com/2010/04/the-vision-behind-looptpulse-for-the-ipad.html|archivedate=2010-04-11}}

In April 2010, Loopt launched an upgraded version of its BlackBerry app.{{cite web|url=http://www.looptblog.com/2010/04/plan-your-next-move-with-the-new-pulse-on-loopt-for-blackberry.html|title=Plan your next move on the new Pulse on Loopt for BlackBerry.|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418153915/http://www.looptblog.com/2010/04/plan-your-next-move-with-the-new-pulse-on-loopt-for-blackberry.html|archivedate=2010-04-18}} The upgraded version includes the same places and events upgrade formerly launched in March 2010 for iPhone users.

August 2010 saw Steve Boom taking over as president of the company.

In December 2010, Loopt launched Loopt version 4.0, which featured a completely updated design.

In March 2012, after raising more than $30M in venture capital, Loopt announced it had agreed to be acquired by Green Dot Corporation for US$43.4 million.

SMS invitation issues

Users of Loopt must register their mobile phone number, full name, and date of birth. Loopt's privacy notice states that users can control who receives geo-location information via privacy settings.

When Loopt released its native iPhone application on July 10, 2008, the software quickly gained notoriety for sending Short Message Service (SMS) invites to users' address books, seemingly without the user's knowledge; additionally, the SMS service failed to respond to the industry-required STOP message.{{cite web|url=http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/07/loopt_social_ne.html|title=getsatisfaction.com: How can I never receive another Loopt SMS invitation ever?|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229173601/http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/07/loopt_social_ne.html|archivedate=2011-12-29}}

On July 14, 2008, Loopt posted to its blog that the mass invites could be attributed to a confusing user interface, and they were working on an improved invitation flow.{{cite web |title=Loopt In: iPhone Invite Confusion |url=http://loopt.typepad.com/loopt/2008/07/iphone-invite-c.html}} Respect for STOP was announced July 15, 2008,{{cite web |title=Loopt In: Improved iPhone Invites |url=http://loopt.typepad.com/loopt/2008/07/sorry-everyone.html}} and on July 17, 2008, Loopt released an updated version which addressed the issues with the confusing user interface.{{cite web |title=Loopt In: Get new version of Loopt for iPhone now! |url=http://www.looptblog.com/2008/07/get-new-version.html}}{{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}

Notes

References

{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120666235472370235?mod=googlenews_wsj | title=Phones Will Soon Tell Where You Are | newspaper=Wall Street Journal | first1=Amol | last1=Sharma | first2=Jessica | last2=Vascellaro | accessdate=2008-06-10 | date=2008-03-28}}
{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/technology/06mobile.html?_r=3&ref=technology&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin | title=In CBS Test, Mobile Ads Find Users | newspaper=New York Times | first=Laura M. | last=Holson | accessdate=2008-06-10 | date=2008-02-06}}
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{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/06/04/location-technologies-primer/ | title=Location Technologies Primer| publisher=TechCrunch | first=Eric | last=Carr | accessdate=2008-06-10}}
{{cite news|url=http://www.technewsworld.com/story/54244.html |title=Start-Up Offers Cell Phone Mapping Service |publisher=TechNewsWorld |first=May |last=Wong |date=2006-11-14 |accessdate=2007-01-12 }}{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
{{cite news|url=http://news.cnet.com/Mobile+phones+that+track+your+buddies/2100-1039_3-6135209.html |title=Mobile phones that track your buddies |publisher=News.com |first=Marguerite |last=Reardon |date=2006-11-14 |accessdate=2007-01-12 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130119143646/http://news.cnet.com/Mobile-phones-that-track-your-buddies/2100-1039_3-6135209.html |archivedate=2013-01-19 |url-status=dead }}
{{cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/Technology/New-service-tells-buddies-locations-on-a-cell-phone/2006/11/14/1163266537262.html | title=Startup Offers Cell Phone Mapping Service | newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald | date= 2006-11-14 | accessdate=2006-01-12}}
{{cite news | url=http://tech.msn.com/products/article.aspx?cp-documentid=922748 | title=New Ways to Keep in Touch by Cell Phone | work=PC World | first=May | last=Wong | accessdate=2007-01-12 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061113190707/http://tech.msn.com/products/article.aspx?cp-documentid=922748 | archivedate=2006-11-13 }}