Facebook updates 'Nearby' Android, iOS feature with new social elements

Facebook announced on December 17 that it will be rolling out updates to the social network's "Nearby" feature on iOS and Android, giving it increased relevance to individual users.

Facebook announced on December 17 that it will be rolling out updates to the social network's 'Nearby' feature on iOS and Android, giving it increased relevance to individual users.

The Nearby feature on iOS and Android apps previously functioned as a means of highlighting businesses and landmarks in the proximity of the app user. However the latest update to the apps not only lists nearby places of interest but also lists places close by in order of 'relevancy' based upon feedback, such as 'likes' and 'check-ins,' taken from friends of the app user.

The more the device users and their friends use the service -- and the more feedback they provide on local businesses -- the more personalized the listings of nearby places will become. According to a post on Facebook's newsroom site, the app will also incorporate third-party services at a still unspecified future date.

Facebook's app for Android also recently received a major update, with the app being rebuilt using native code and not, as had previously been the case, HTML 5, bringing improved scrolling to the app and making it much faster to run.