Trapster began as a resounding success in 2007, so much so that they were acquired by Nokia’s mapping division in 2010. Unfortunately for both companies, this was at a time when there were very few apps that offered granular traffic and police activity details (by way of crowd-sourced information)… now tech leaders like Google have acquired technologies and apps like Waze. Reality has caught up with Trapster: they have laid off their staff, pulled their apps from all stores, and announced that service will cease for existing users at the end of 2014.
It’s been a long time coming: downloads dwindled (especially) once the app was forced to remove its DUI checkpoint reporting feature in 2011, and then involved themselves this year in a security coup that showed users of the app could track the movements made by other drivers.
Other features of the app allowed users to get the inside track on red light and speed cameras, but it doesn’t appear that avoiding the law carried enough appeal in the end.
Word has it that Trapster creator and founder Pete Tenereillo hasn’t given up all hope that Nokia will revive his baby –but it seems very unlikely to happen.
Are you sorry to see an app of this type go –or do you feel like it was unethical to begin with, and extinction was long overdue?
Jillian Koskie is an experienced software developer, content writer, project manager and usability design expert. With over 17 years in these roles, Jillian has enjoyed applying her skill-set to assist clients and users across a wide variety of sectors including: legal, health, and financial services. Combining these professional opportunities with a love of technology, Jillian is pleased to contribute articles, opinions, and advice to numerous news outlets, websites, and publications.
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