Google takes on FB in India with hyperlocal app Neighbourly
BENGALURU: A Mumbai train commuter who witnessed an accident earlier this month, turned to his smartphone to ask neighbours how to help a bleeding victim. Responses poured in instantaneously. Take him to the station master at the next stop; ask the ticket collector for first aid; call 138 for emergency help and so on. Not long after, the commuter posted a happy ending: the injured party had received medical attention.
This transpired within minutes on Neighbourly, the hyper-local social network unveiled in India this month by Google’s Next Billion Users program. The neighbourhood network— available in Mumbai and soon to expand to other cities — lets people share local expertise and crucial information with others in the vicinity. The crowd-sourced recommendations range widely: kitchen cabinet makers, service stations that repair electric scooters, cricket ticket sellers, gardening supplies stores and much more.
With almost a half billion Indians now using smartphones, Google sees an opportunity to become a one-stop shop for search, social networking and payments. “After missing the last wave of social, Google is trying to use its platform to become a significant player in these areas,” says New Delhi-based Forrester Research forecast analyst, Satish Meena.
Google has long aspired to be the go-to platform in India, where rivals Facebook Inc. and its WhatsApp messaging service have already amassed a huge user base and Amazon Inc. is spending billions on e-commerce. Google wants to bring hundreds of millions of Indians online and build products that appeal to a diverse population, no matter the social strata, language spoken or type of device used.
Neighbourly users can browse, ask and answer questions without sharing personal information. The app only shows a first names while keeping the phone number, full name and other information private. A user’s profile photo cannot be enlarged or stored, unlike in other apps. Upon signing up, everyone pledges to keep the community safe and refrain from posting inappropriate or spam messages.