If you are a local business, you should expect that your to see a drop off in Foursquare check-ins as the Foursquare officially drops the check-in feature from their app.  Foursquare is dropping user’s ability to check-in, the feature that made the company famous.  Instead, users will now have to download a second app in order to check-in.

In May, Foursquare announced it would be splitting their local functionality with their check-in functionality in a move many saw as transitioning Foursquare to be in line with other popular local apps such as Yelp.

Along with the change, Foursquare has introduced a brand new logo that looks nothing like their former familiar one.

For check-ins, users will now have to download and install a separate app from the company called Swarm, which will merge check-in functionality with FourSquare.  Without the Swarm app, checking-in at a location will not be an option, instead it only displays relevant local information such as info, ratings and the ability to see the menu or making a reservation for restaurants.

Swarm still shows the old Foursquare logo as part of their own logo.

Here are the two versions – the one on the left is Foursquare alone, while the one on the right also has the Swarm app.

Foursquare says that three-quarters of all users are already using the Swarm app.   However, the new checking button isn’t nearly as noticeable as the old check-in button, so this could definitely impact the number of check-ins as well.