Airbnb updates apps for iOS and Android to make it easier to play remote host

Airbnb showed off redesigned apps for iOS and Android on Tuesday morning designed to make the service easier to use on mobile devices. The new apps feature a dashboard called “Host Home” that lets hosts book rooms, respond to messages, and update their calendars, among other things, all directly from the smartphone. The apps also give hosts a guide to making their rooms more professional by emphasizing basic hospitality standards. And for hosts who want to learn from their peers, a new groups feature allows them to talk about best practices through the app.

For travelers, the app offers a new Discover feed designed to showcase Airbnb’s best listings. The company now has 350,000 hosts and 500,000 homes in 34,000 cities co-founder Brian Chesky said at an event Tuesday at the company’s San Francisco headquarters. Recently, more than 175,000 people stayed in an Airbnb listing in a single night.