Apple and Foursquare sitting in a tree — m.a.p.p.i.n.g

Apple is in talks with with Foursquare to bring local data into Apple’s Maps application, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Apple has already integrated reviews and other local information from Yelp within its maps, and according to the WSJ it has also been in talks with other companies swimming with local data.

It makes sense for Apple to tap Foursquare next — the company emerged as the winner in the location check-in wars a few years ago, but now it’s positioning itself more as a local discovery service. Foursquare has a significant amount of data and more than 25 million users, but only eight million of those are active at least once a month. Foursquare desperately needs more partners and revenue, and a deal with Apple could give it room to breathe as it tries to entice users.

But while Foursquare integration would be intriguing, I’m hoping Apple is also working hard to improve the quality of its map app. Apple’s iOS 6 map app was widely criticized for the quality of its data (and it was a big reason why Google Maps for iPhone has been so popular). Ultimately, having accurate and bug-free map data is far more important than any whiz-bang social integration.

Photo: Nan Palmero/Flickr