Yelp iPhone App Now Even Yelpier With Big Update

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Yelp is kinda like that know-it-all friend who collects all those old Macs and watches Dr. Who obsessively: full of obnoxious, sarcastic comments, but more precious than gold when information is needed.

Those who don’t yet have Yelp on their iPhones, go get the free app now. It’s ok — we’ll wait.

Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s roll. The biggest new feature we can play with is Check-In, which lets Yelpers broadcast their location by hitting the “check-in” button when they enter an establishment, so Yelp buddies can know exactly where the user is. Also works vice-versa, and Yelp’s augmented-reality Monocle view will show checked-in buddies on the screen. Check-in at the same location often enough and Yelp will call you a “regular.” And then, who knows, they might name the next Tapas plate after you.

But the coolest addition is ridiculously simple, yet enormously useful — especially to someone as directionally challenged as me: Hold the iPhone flat, and the map rotates with you so that no matter which direction you face, the map will remain spatially correct. Why doesn’t Google Maps have this feature?

Update: Google Maps does, apparently, have this feature. Thanks to everyone for the heads-up.

There’re other neat little tweaks like bookmark support and better profile viewability…but you already know that, because we all waited while you downloaded it.

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