Facebook reportedly acquires Gowalla

Facebook has acquired Gowalla, which makes a location-based social-networking app for mobile devices, CNN reported tonight.

Some Gowalla employees will move to Facebook's Palo Alto, Calif., offices and work on Facebook's Timeline feature, an unidentified source close to Gowalla said.

Representatives for both Facebook and Gowalla provided statements to CNET via e-mail that said the companies "don't comment on rumors and speculation."

Austin-based Gowalla launched in 2009 but has had difficulty competing against Foursquare in the market for location-sharing apps. The app is available on the iPhone and on Android-based devices and features a large "Sign up with Facebook" button prominently on the front page of its Web site.

Gowalla had about 600,000 members a year ago, according to USA Today.

The startup raised $8.4 million in venture funding in 2009 from investors who also backed Foursquare, including Ron Conway and Kevin Rose.