Google launches beta of new app, Neighbourly, in Mumbai to help people share local information with their neighbours

Today Google announced a new app from its Next Billion Users team called Neighbourly, which helps people source local information from their neighbors. The beta version of Neighbourly is available today on the Google Play Store for all smartphones in Mumbai running Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) and higher.

Neighbours have the most up-to-date, relevant and accurate info about where they live. That’s why the app makes it easy for people to ask local questions and find answers they can trust. Neighbourly lets people share their own expertise and keep up with their neighbourhood safely.

Josh Woodward, Group Product Manager on Google’s Next Billion Users team, said, “Google Search got started by connecting people to information on the web. With Neighbourly, we’re finding new ways to move forward on Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. In our research, we’ve found that most of life happens within a 1km radius of where you live, so we wanted to create a new experience for neighbours to benefit from the collective knowledge inside their neighbourhoods. And, when that happens, we hope neighbourhoods everywhere will start to feel even more neighbourly.”

Neighbourly helps its users in three ways:

• Ask the neighbourhood a question. Ask a question, and it’s routed to the right neighbourhood experts who can help. Using Google’s voice recognition, users can just speak a question into the app in English and 8 Indian languages, just like talking to a neighbor.

• Be a local expert. Easily swipe left and right through the questions and give answers. The app rewards the most helpful neighbours with badges and exclusive community events.

• Keep up with the neighbourhood safely. Browse, ask and answer questions without sharing personal information. Personal details like phone number, full name and other contact information are kept private when you use Neighbourly. And every member that joins Neighbourly makes the “Neighbourly Promise” to be civil and help improve the neighbourhood.

People living outside Mumbai can join a waitlist and also invite their neighbors. The team is looking to expand to new neighbourhoods that are excited to try Neighbourly.