Google adds social features to its India-first local discovery app, Neighbourly

Google's India-first hyperlocal app, Neighbourly, just got more social.

A year since it launched as a neighbourhood discovery platform, where users could ask or answer questions about their locality, Google has introduced new features such as photo sharing, creation of polls and events, and tips.

There is a new Search feature as well that will help users arrive at specific content much faster. Earlier, they had to swipe through endless Q&A cards for it.

"These features will make it even easier to share with and learn from your neighbours," Google India wrote in a statement.

With Post Photos, users can snap and upload the picture of a meal at a newly-opened neighbourhood restaurant. Or share a picture of a new point of attraction in the hood, and so on.

The Create Events feature allows them to invite new neighbours to watch an upcoming cricket match or a TV show. This fosters a sense of community among people who might otherwise rarely meet.

Users can also Create Polls to get quick inputs on, say, the best vegetarian restaurant in the locality or the quickest laundry service, and such things.

And, finally, the Share Tips feature will allow users to post important updates about their localities. So, if a road is closed for repair, they can indicate that to other users on the app.

Neighbourly's updated features point towards its imminent transformation into a private social network - a communication trend that is slowly picking up - from a mere local discovery app.

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The Google statement added, "Neighbourly’s mission is to give people a helpful, human, and local way to keep up with everything happening nearby."

The upgraded app will also offer a Neighbourhood Challenge in the form of puzzles that will appear from time to time. Users can solve these puzzles to "show off" how well they know their neighbourhoods. And, other users can, in turn, rate them them for their contributions on the app.

Neighbourly is available in India's top eight to 10 cities, and has notched up more than five million downloads on Google Play Store. The new features will be available starting today. Just update the app!

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