LinkedIn has just announced the biggest update to its iOS and Android mobile apps in over two years.

Stories and status

Some 27 per cent of LinkedIn's 200 million users access the platform from a mobile device, up from 15 per cent a year ago. Weekly mobile page views have risen 250 per cent year-on-year.

The upgrade wants to keep these users engaged with content and features a visually rich stream populated with stories and status updates.

This content comes from users' LinkedIn connections, 'influencers' and news from within the users' network.

The personal touch

LinkedIn has also added personal navigation options that allow users to more easily navigate around the platform. Navigation can also be personalised to display areas a user visits most often.

Adding up the ads

Another component of the upgrade includes ads, in the form of sponsored content. LinkedIn trialled sponsored content on its desktop and iPad versions earlier this year, and has now extended the feature to all its apps. The ads works much the same way sponsored posts appear on Facebook.

The refresh brings LinkedIn's mobile offering into line with the platform's recent updates to its Home and Profile Page. It also reflects LinkedIn's push to position itself as a place users come to engage with content, not just apply for jobs.

This update may not mean LinkedIn becomes a threat to Facebook anytime soon, but it may help professionals stay more connected while on-the-go.

Check out the features of the updated apps in this video LinkedIn released for the launch, and to download the iOS app visit itunes.apple.com.

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