Yelp’s version 2.0 of its iPhone app has officially hit Apple’s App store. We reported on Yelp’s focus on the mobile space and its importance here.
As we wrote recently, the new app gives consumers even more ease in automatically reviewing businesses via their iPhone and enhances its existing GPS capabilities. The updated version of the app now lets Yelpers write reviews directly from their iPhone through a Twitter-like “Quick Tips” feature that allows users to create 140 character tips. This was sorely lacking in the original version. The tips will be accessible on the iPhone app and the site itself (if popular) and will also be shown in a feed using GPS capabilities when users search businesses.
Like before, the app leverages GPS in the iPhone to list reviews, tips, and photos written and taken around a user’s location. The app will also feature a Friend Feed feature that will pull in your friends activities. Users can draft a full review of a restaurant, bar or business from their iPhone and then post it later to Yelp.com. Yelp is also upgrading the app to become more compatible in Canada and the UK.
The combination of local reviews and mobile is significant because Yelp now allows consumers to post reviews as they are eating, drinking or visiting a business. Think about the review of a restaurant that had bad service. Likely, the consumer will be emotionally charged about the poor service. Before the iPhone app, the consumer would write the review after the restaurant visit, when he or she had cooled off a bit. Now the new app will allow the angry consumer to enter a particularly distasteful, and emotionally charged review directly from the restaurant’s table.
And the combination of using GPS to see reviews of businesses directly where you are in an area is fascinating. Yelp is making it incredibly easy for consumers to quickly access listings, reviews and ratings of businesses without having to input their location. There is definite potential for this app to become even more popular than its earlier version. Yelp’s previous iPhone app is less than a year old and it already accounts for 5% of Yelp’s overall traffic, which adds up to be around roughly 1 million monthly visitors.
Yelp’s next move should be incorporating Facebook Connect with its site and iPhone app. Currently, you can add Yelp friends on the site and get personalized feeds of reviews from people who are your friends and random people who share your local restaurant or bar tastes. But it would be really cool to be able to see your Facebook friend’s reviews of local businesses, similar to MySpace Local, a partnership between MySpace and CitySearch to combine CitySearch business listings and the MySpace community.
If Yelp adds Facebook connect, I may redownload it again!
It would be suicide for Yelp to add FBconnect. Their social graph is what sets them apart of all the food apps on facebook. Once they do that, they put themselves in the same level and lose value.
Glad to see an update; and It’s about time. I was beginning to think the yelp.iphone team got locked in a Starbucks or something.
I found that the best restaurants don’t have websites.
In West LA, you get a LOT of circulars for new restaurants that open up around your zip code. Those are the best ones to go to.
The ones that are on the internet have been all whored out already. Circulars work way better than internet help sites or SEO.
I don’t use Yelp at all. When I want sushi, I just check out a circular and go. It’s usually about a 3 minute drive that way.
2 posts for the same product on TC…wow. It’s good to be yelp
TechCrunch exists to push VC’s investments. Don’t you know that by now?
Can someone comment on the class action law suite local businesses are taking against Yelp?
i am no fan of yelp!
yelp?like sns?
yelp extortion for the iphone. I guess now they will re-arrange reviews on the iphone for a fee (300 bucks a month).
but of course they won’t do that cause Jeremy said so:)
I wish Yelp will expand to places outside of the US. Is there a way for users to enter new locations?
It’s in the UK right now as well, so I’m guessing they’re slowly expanding.
Too be honest – Yelp is definitely a great service but this App. really sucks – asking for signing in – a buggy interface, and a confusing order of section – who programmed that stupid shit?
The app is terrible. I can only read the reviews fo restaurants that are around my current GPS location. Suppose I am at work and want to look for a nice restaurant near my house — Yelp can’t help me with that. Or suppose I want to check out restaurants in another city. Again the Yelp app forbids this kind of inquisitiveness. You may only read reviews within walking distance of where you are currently at.
Asim: You can search for places anywhere if you tap the “Search” tab at the bottom. From there, tap the search box at the top, then you can enter a city, address, neighborhood, etc, into that second “near” box.
Improved iPhone or let me a little joy, as a loyal supporter or not at all easy. Have time to discuss at:http://www.customs-data.com.cn
I just downloaded the updated version of the app and all the bookmarks are no longer appearing. Pls fix the bug!
I’m wondering if the Yelp destination site is going to be updated with an area for the Quick Tips so that users can recognized for contributing them (like they do with reviews and photos).
Yelp we love you here at Guias Local. You Rock!!
Glad to see an update; and It’s about time. I was beginning to think the yelp.iphone team got locked in a Starbucks or something.
I just downloaded the updated version of the app and all the bookmarks are no longer appearing. Pls fix the bug!
im surprised to see how well yelp has done and is still doing.
I just downloaded the updated version of the app and all the bookmarks are no longer appearing. Pls fix the bug!
I wonder whether the target site with an area for Yelp Quick Tips so that users for their contribution to (they are recognized, as are updated) is also with commentary and photos.