Apple speaking to Foursquare to integrate local data into its mapping app

Apple is in early discussions to integrate local data from Foursquare into its mapping application...as the company continues to build an arsenal of local data to try to take on Google...Apple has been talking to a number of companies that collect local data to improve its new mapping product. The maps service, released in September, has had a rocky reception.

An Apple deal could be a boost for Foursquare, which was one of the first mobile apps to popularize mobile checkins...But the four-year-old company's growth rate has slowed as other services like Facebook have launched similar features. Foursquare's business hasn't grown as fast as some investors had hoped.