Squirl is a mobile app that offers a new way to get book recommendations in a novel way. Rather than getting your next must-read book from a friend or a bestseller list, Squirl gets you out of the house to explore.
The app uses real-world locations found in books, using its app as "a real life portal into a different world." Equipped with your personal reading preferences, the app will highlight if a cafe or a toy store nearby might be tied to a plot that will pique a reader's interest. Once intrigued, a reader can check out an excerpt from the book and even purchase the entire book from within the app. Blending real-world exploration with book recommendations, this is a fun way to find new books that are tied to the surroundings that are most familiar to you.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Location-based Book Recommendations
- Opportunity to create innovative apps that connect readers with books based on their real-world surroundings.
- Experiential Reading
- Potential to develop immersive reading experiences by incorporating real-world locations and settings into book recommendations.
- In-app Book Purchases
- Opportunity to enhance the convenience of discovering and purchasing books by enabling readers to buy directly from the app.
Where This Applies
- Mobile App Development
- Disruptive innovation potential in the field of mobile app development to create unique reading experiences.
- Publishing
- Opportunity for publishers to partner with location-based book recommendation apps and explore new avenues for book discovery.
- Retail
- Chance for retailers to collaborate with book recommendation apps and attract customers by tying book selections to their real-world locations.
