May boost Yelp's prominence in check-in services

The iOS 6 Maps app will allow people to check-in through Yelp, according to developer material examined by Bloomberg. People should, more importantly, be able to check-in without leaving their current map and launching the dedicated Yelp app. The technology is hinted at in screenshots from the SDK given to developers earlier this month.

Apple is mainly relying on Yelp for help with local business search, something that began in earnest with the introduction of Siri in October last year. Integrating Yelp check-ins into Maps could prove beneficial for both companies. For Apple it could increase the appeal of the Maps app; for Yelp it would draw more people to its check-in functions, which are less popular as a rule than the ones offered by Foursquare and Facebook.

The new Maps app is a major overhaul, not only introducing new features but jettisoning Google as a source of data. The change has forced Apple to switch to several different companies for content, including Yelp, TomTom, and Waze.

by MacNN Staff