Are investors giving Yelp (YELP 3.11%) its due? After switching from Google's (GOOG +2.53%) Local app for a week, Fool contributor Tim Beyers isn't so sure.
Yelp comes off as offering the best of Foursquare and Google in a neat package that benefits from sharp improvements in Apple's mapping technology. A new "Nearby" tab for iOS users is particularly helpful, especially when it comes to finding frequently used services in a place you've never been before. Scouring social check-ins can also make it easier to find the right spot fast, Tim says in the following video.
A 68% surge in Yelp's first-quarter revenue speaks to increased advertiser interest. Mobile devices are largely responsible for the gains: 10 million handsets orchestrated 15 million calls to local businesses via Yelp in Q1.
Google, for its part, is battling back by making it easier for users to submit restaurant reviews. That there's a race at all suggests Yelp has found a niche it can exploit. It wouldn't be too surprising to see Apple make a bid to acquire the business outright.
Do you agree? Watch the video to get Tim's full take, and then let us know whether you would buy, sell, or short Yelp stock at current prices.
