Google launches 'Who's Down' tool

Dubbed 'Who's Down', the app is available for free download - although it is currently invitation-only.

Once you've confirmed you're 'down' for an activity, nearby friends will see your status and be given the option to join you.

You do this by sliding a switch that makes you available for three hours. The app also lets you pick from a list of popular activities or create your own. 

If you manage to find some friends, there are group chatting features included to help organise the logistics of the event.

The app, which was spotted by 9to5 Google, is available for both iOS and Android.

The Verge suggests it is likely directed at teenagers. 

If you attempt to sign up for Who's Down without an invitation, Google asks you to enter your email address and your school.

'We're not down to share more details just yet,' the company said. 

The new app is similar to Apple's Find My Friends tool and Foursquare's Swarm app, with the main difference being the option to say exactly what you're 'down' for. 

Earlier this year, an Apple patent revealed its plans to extend its tool.

It wants to provide more customisable notifications that alert friends when you leave or arrive at a certain location, and lets them track your route more accurately. 

A related filing uses 'nodes' inside buildings to help these users pinpoint your exact location even when you're indoors. 

The patents, first spotted by AppleInsider, build on existing technology known as geofencing that creates a virtual fence or barrier around a specific location.

Friends have to consent to being tracked, but once they accept the invitation the initial user can request to see their location and get location-based alerts that notify them when they arrive at an airport, or when a child leaves school. 

(dailymail.co.uk)