Strava Shutting Down Fatmap
Fatmap, a Europe-based 3D mapping platform acquired by Strava last January, is shutting down. In an email sent to users this week, accompanied by an online support page, Fatmap said that its website and app will be retired from October 1, 2024, and users will get an option to transfer their Fatmap routes to Strava until then.
The Move: What’s Being Lost?
While the company said it will "bring Fatmap’s 3D mapping and other features to Strava," digging into the details reveals that much will be left out in the move. Some of the features being omitted include:
- Assigned grades: This feature allows users to assess a hill’s steepness, which won’t be transferable to Strava.
- Photos: Users won’t be able to transfer their photos over to Strava, although they can download this data instead using Fatmap’s data export tool.
- Adventures, guidebooks, and waypoints: These features can’t be transferred to Strava, and users will have the option to download this data instead.
What Will Be Transferred?
On the other hand, some of Fatmap’s features will be ported over to Strava as part of its premium subscription. This includes:
- Route creation
- Route discovery
- Offline downloads
- Flyover
- Personal heatmaps
These features require a Strava subscription, and users can redeem a free 60-day trial by December 31, 2024.
Why Is Fatmap Shutting Down?
The reasons behind Fatmap’s shutdown are not explicitly stated in the email. However, it’s possible that the platform has been struggling to compete with other mapping services or that Strava wants to focus its resources on its own platform.
What This Means for Users
For users who have invested time and effort into creating routes and maps using Fatmap, this news may be disheartening. The shutdown of the platform means that they’ll need to adjust their workflows and find alternative solutions.
However, Strava’s offer to transfer Fatmap routes to its platform may help alleviate some of the inconvenience. Users can still access their existing routes on Strava after the transition period ends.
Conclusion
The shutdown of Fatmap is a significant development in the world of activity tracking and mapping platforms. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect more changes in this space. For now, users will need to adapt to the new reality and find ways to work with the tools available to them.
Related Topics
- Apps
- Fatmap
- Social
- Strava
About the Author
Paul Sawers is a senior writer based in London, focused largely (but not exclusively) on the world of UK and European startups. He also writes about other subjects that he’s passionate about, such as the business of open source software.
Prior to joining TechCrunch in June 2022, Paul had gained more than a decade’s experience covering consumer and enterprise technologies for The Next Web (now owned by the Financial Times) and VentureBeat.
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