Neighbourly: Google debuts a new Q&A app for neighbourhood communities
Google is expanding its footprint in India’s hyperlocal service segment. As a part of its Next Billion Users, Google has launched ‘Neighbourly’, a new Android app currently available in beta. It is squarely targeted at neighbourhood communities. It’s a Q&A app for the dissemination of local knowledge.
For Google, it is giving the communities an outlet to ask and get answers to practical questions about all things local. Users can ask questions via text or voice and share their local expertise. They can even keep up to date with the happenings in their communities.
The questions and answers are handled via easy to use swipeable cards. The app uses GPS to fetch one’s location and add them straight into their neighbourhood.
The app works in English and eight Indian languages and is available for all smartphones running Android 4.3 or later. It is currently available only in Mumbai but Google hopes to expand it to other metros by the end of 2018. The app is currently only mobile-based.
The app was tested with thousands of users for a period of about a month.
The company has confirmed that all personal details - full name, phone number and other contact information - will be kept private from other
If you try signing up from somewhere outside of Mumbai - I tried from Green Park - the app will just tell you, “after Green Park opens, we’ll let you know”. It’s put you on the waitlist and as and when the expansion happens, the app will let you know.
The app is most similar to Jelly, from Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. That was another question and answer service. Jelly got acquired by Pinterest.
The question for Google is just how fast this ‘local’ app will be picked up by the users. For the consumers, the question is about just how much Google will integrate these answers into its other services like Google Assistant and Google Maps.
Hyperlocal
This is the latest of Google’s various offerings in the hyperlocal service segment. Google debuted Areo - a food delivery and home services app - in Bengaluru and Mumbai last year and has now expanded to Delhi, Gurgaon and Pine.
Further, Google picked up a small but significant stake in hyperlocal concierge player from Bengaluru, Dunzo in December of 2017.
First published: 31 May 2018, 16:05 IST
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