Microsoft has invested about $15m into location-based social networking app Foursquare, soon after naming Satya Nadella as its new CEO and Bill Gates’ retirement as chairman.
In addition to the investment, the software company has also forged a deal to use Foursquare data in its local and search products including Windows OS and Bing search engine over the next four years.
The data would offer users of Windows-powered phones with restaurant and entertainment suggestions on the move.
Foursquare said in a statement: "So, in the near future, when you use Microsoft devices powered by the Windows and Windows Phone operating systems and products like Bing, places will be enhanced by Foursquare – to provide contextually-aware experiences and the best recommendations of any service in the world."
"As part of this partnership, Microsoft has also invested in Foursquare (joining our previously-announced round of funding from December)," the firm added.
"This will help us continue to build out our product, and, even more excitingly, make sure more people get access to the power of Foursquare."
The latest collaboration effort would offer Foursquare with a new stream of data licensing revenue, following a struggle to generate sales in about five years on the market.
As part of efforts to bolster its social-networking portfolio, Microsoft has also acquired enterprise social-networking vendor Yammer in July 2012, while the service is being integrated across a range of its products and services.
