Foursquare for iPhone 6.0 Now Available; Search and Explore Now are the Core

Foursquare has just made its most direct step that shows that they are aiming at Yelp. The company released an update to its iPhone app that brings search at the forefront of the app with a search bar at the top of the screen. The update puts the Explore section front and center letting users know, in real time, what is trending wherever they are.

Not only that, the app tells you what's the popular place to go afterwards, according to your friends. This means that if you are at the movies or dining, Foursquare will show you the popular places your friends tend to go after the movie or dinner.

Check-ins still there, but recommendations are front and center on the app. The user interface has changed a bit in this new release, favoring the recommendation data. The app displays recommendations, like top sights and attractions, based on past check-ins and your friends check-ins when opening the app. The check-in button is now located at the bottom, more options and sections are now available as a side-bar on the left.

This is the future for Foursquare, using all the data they have collected for the last four years and focus on recommendations. When I'm trying to decide where to go, I use Foursquare to search for a place and businesses have done a great job trying to add as much information about their businesses as they can.

This latest update is very different from Foursquare 5.0, in many ways than once. The previous version was focused on making check-ins easier and faster. This one is is focus on helping you find places and get recommendations easier.

Is Foursquare still relevant to you? Have you used the app at all?