Facebook's Nearby feature for Android and iPhone switches from check-ins to recommendations

Facebook has announced that it will update its Android and Apple iPhone apps to place less emphasis on the last place your friends checked-in, and focus more on the next place you might like to visit. The Facebook Nearby tab currently displays a list of friends and the date and location of their most recent check-ins. The new Nearby, set to appear later today, abandons that approach in favor of listing nearby businesses based on friend's check-ins and likes. Instead of showing that Elliot last checked-in at a sushi restaurant across town, Nearby will recommend visiting the sushi restaurant up the street based on a friend's previous check-ins and his shared interest of Asian cuisine.

Nearby lists business near a person, based on the device's location, and provides information about business hours and friends who have visited the establishment. Facebook members can rate places or recommend them to friends, which will eventually lead to more accurate recommendations within social circles.

Members will still be able to check-in to businesses and include location data with their status updates, but the Nearby tab will place a greater priority on discovery than friend tracking. Facebook says that it plans to improve results based on user feedback.