Microsoft is investing $15 million in Foursquare as part of a licensing deal that will incorporate the the location-based service's data into Microsoft's web and mobile platforms.
The four-year deal, announced Tuesday, makes Microsoft the largest licensee of Foursquare data.
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"In the near future, when you use Microsoft devices powered by the Windows and Windows Phone operating systems and products like Bing, places will be enhanced by Foursquare — to provide contextually-aware experiences and the best recommendations of any service in the world," Foursquare wrote in a blog post announcing the partnership.
Exactly how Microsoft plans to use Foursquare's immense amount of data, which includes everything from users' location information to personalized recommendations and tips, isn't completely clear. But the New York Times reported that Microsoft will use Foursquare's data to beef up search on its Bing and Windows Phone 8 platforms.
A Foursquare spokesperson declined to comment on specific details of the terms, such as whether a partnership meant Foursquare would be shifting more of its resources to developing its Windows Phone 8 products. But the company did say it is currently hiring a new internal Windows Phone 8 developer.
The deal is Foursquare's latest in a series of moves aimed at stepping up its monetization efforts. Last week, Foursquare announced a partnership with GrubHub Seamless, although it declined to comment on the arrangement's financial details.
The company announced in December that it had raised an additional $35 million in funding after opening up advertising to all businesses in October.
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