The Foursquare update is here! And we’ve got the scoop on it for you.

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After weeks of teasing, the new Foursquare app is available via Google Play and the App store. The new app is designed with heavier focus on photos and recommendations.

When launching the new app, Foursquare users should notice the new timeline. It looks quite similar to the new Google+ layouts and new mobile Facebook, with a lot of attention being put on photos. As far as the bottom menu bar is concerned, there are only three options – Explore, in addition, the check-in button is situation in the top-right hand corner, making it easier for the user to reach.

Perhaps the biggest, new Foursquare feature is the recommendations. The new app is able to make recommendations to the user based on what their friends are doing, the time of the day, the user’s history, as well as what other people in the area are talking the most about.

Foursquare now has a new metric designed to help work out what locations to recommend. In addition, users are able to like or dislike locations, allowing Foursquare to figure out what locations users like, rather than locations they’re just checking in to. These features are designed to enhance the user’s experience with Foursquare, and allow the app to provide more accurate recommendations.

Foursquare Head of Search Mr. Andrew Hogue explained how recommendations based on other user check ins works, he said that Foursquare can use map date to define neighbourhoods and see trends within those neighbourhoods from users So if a certain item on a menu is popular amongst a lot of users in a particular neighbourhood, Foursquare might point users there.

Foursquare is also able to make recommendations based specifically on where users live. This feature enables locals in the area to visit popular places in their neighbourhoods whilst visitors of the area will see more tourist inclined areas instead.

The photos aspect of Foursquare has also undergone some changes, now looking similar to an Instagram feed rather than a list. In addition, User profiles have a tiled interface allowing users of the app to access lists, badges, stats and tips from one screen opposed to scrolling.

Perhaps one of the more interesting features introduced by Foursquare is their new ‘like’ function – similar to Facebook. This enables users to click a heart button on venues, lists, tips and friends’ check-ins.

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