As Foursquare continues its transition away from check-ins towards local discovery, there’s still room for boutique apps to grab a slice of the recommendation pie by focusing on specific experiences inside all those wonderful local venues. In addition to a new Android version, drink discovery service Elixr released an major update to its iOS app yesterday, ensuring discerning mobile users partake in only the finest libations on their weekend jaunts.
A service for discovering high-end alcoholic beverages, Elixr is more Instagram than Untappd, focused on presenting beautiful photos of artisanal cocktails and craft beers than tracking check-ins. Users can still check in, however, to see information on popular drinks at their location or view suggestions for nearby speakeasies – but with Elixr, the drink is the thing.
Elixr’s focus on the aesthetic beauty of a $15 old fashioned is reflected in its iOS7 redesign. The new version could easily be mistaken for Instagram itself, and features new custom photo filtering in addition to preset options to guarantee square photos that rival anything your #foodie friends are posting to the ‘gram.
It’s the new features Elixr has added to foster a community of like-minded imbibers that prevents it from being redundant in the wake of Instagram and Foursquare, however. Users can keep a running to-do list of drinks they’ve been meaning to try, identify which specific bartender made their drink, and receive push notifications each time a noted tastemaker has posted about their latest discovery. Each individual feature doesn’t amount to much, but together they justify Elixr’s spot on the home screens of those that are more serious about scotches than selfies.
[source]Elixr[/source][via]TechCrunch[/via]
