While much of the press has been focused on the bevy of usage statistics released by MyTown, Foursquare and Gowalla, the location-based social app genre continues to expand.
PlacePop, which launched on the App Store at the start of the year, is keen to offer some form of distinction.

Its makers claim it's "not a game", despite it offering a similar set-up. PlacePop rewards users with bronze, silver, gold or platinum status, depending on their check-in rate.

But it does come with a few advantages over its competitors – namely the ability to post pictures from check-in venues within the app itself.

We caught up with PlacePop CEO Kent Lindstrom to ask how the company feels about the location-based sector, and whether - as proposed by Brightkite - he can see the app linking up with any of its rivals.

Pocket Gamer: How are you finding life on the App Store?

Kent Lindstrom: We soft-launched the PlacePop iPhone app in January, so it's still early days for us. We've been working closely with our first group of users to collect feedback and make improvements before we start a big marketing push.

So far we have no complaints about the App Store. The submission process has gone very smoothly and approval for new releases has been surprisingly fast.

What inspired you to create PlacePop?
PlacePop was conceived from our belief that the places we go offer a powerful mechanism for connecting people. The explosion of GPS-enabled phones presents an enormous opportunity for location-based services that offer value to both businesses and consumers.

Our mission is for PlacePop to be the first place-based social application with mainstream appeal, and the easiest way for businesses to offer rewards that attract and retain loyal customers.

Why did you plump for the iPhone?

Two reasons. The iPhone offers the most capable platform for this type of app, and maintains dominant market share within our target audience. We are certainly looking to branch out into other platforms, but it made sense for us to start with the iPhone.

The location-based social app market seems to be expanding at quite a rate. How do you think PlacePop compares with its rivals?
PlacePop is unique in offering a pure, place-based social experience. Instead of a game, PlacePop offers simple loyalty rewards – like a punch card for any place in the world.

The app couldn't be easier to use, yet it's fun and packed with value. You can list your favourite places, discover new places through friends, and discover new friends through places. The ability to see real-time feeds of activity for any place in the world, and add your own notes and photos to the feed, is also proving to be a very popular feature.

There's been talk that Brightkite is keen to deliver a 'universal check-in system' for multiple apps. Is this something that interests you?

It's an interesting idea, and we are always open to talking with potential partners.

How has PlacePop been received by the business community?

Businesses we have spoken to recognise that applications like PlacePop present a revolutionary way to attract and retain loyal customers. Our goal is to make PlacePop as easy to use for businesses as it is for consumers. We are currently talking to a number of partners and building features that will make this a reality.

What's PlacePop's position on the supposed privacy issues that arise from users linking their activities to their accounts on social networks, as highlighted by PleaseRobMe.com?

Currently our users have the option to share their PlacePop check-ins, notes and photos with their Twitter followers. You can connect your Facebook account at PlacePop.com, and this will also be available in the app very soon.

Regarding the issues of privacy, we see both sides of the coin. People who are concerned about sharing their location should rest assured that PlacePop gives you full control over what you choose to share.

What's next for the app, and the company?

Short term, we want to use the early adoption of our app to continually make it simpler, and more powerful. Long term, we would like to become the ubiquitous application for connecting through the places we go, and for getting rewarded for loyalty at places.

Thanks to Kent for his time.

You can see what PlacePop has to offer by visiting its website, or checking out its presence on Twitter and Facebook.