Yahoo is extending its mail and messenger applications for Android devices and debuting HTML5 mobile Web sites for the iPhone and iPod touch.

In addition to its new services, the company is also introducing a Yahoo Search Widget for Android devices. The Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Messenger Android applications are available globally for free download in the Android Market, supporting OS 2.0 or newer.

?We?re focused on providing users with fast, feature-rich, and personally relevant Yahoo experiences on mobile devices across all browsing and applications platforms,? said Cory Pforzheimer, senior manager of corporate communications at Yahoo, Sunnyvale, CA.

?By bringing our applications to Android as well as a Yahoo Search Widget to Android we?re expanding access for the hundreds of millions of users to easily access and share information on their Android phones,? he said. ?Yahoo is committed to offering the most innovative mobile experiences to users globally, regardless of their device or platform.

?The applications provide users with the best communication experience for easily accessing and sharing information on Android phones.?

Mobile message
Consumers who use the Yahoo Mail application can receive notifications of new email messages, send emails to contacts from the Yahoo Address Book, as well as to contacts in the native phone address book, search email messages by sender, recipient, subject and keywords and upload photos as attachments directly from the phone?s camera or the photo gallery.

In addition, users can view and download attachments, insert emoticons, manage and organize their messages, folders and spam and toggle between the Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Messenger applications. 

The Yahoo Messenger application lets users message friends, check friends? status updates and availability and update their personal status.

Additionally, users can send instant messages to friends via SMS and send photos to friends directly from the phone?s camera.

The Yahoo Search Widget for Android lets consumers access it with one click.

The widget features a voice search, search assist for suggestions and recommendations and auto-locate technology, which delivers locally relevant results to users.

?Android is one of the fastest growing platforms in the marketplace; building apps on Android give users more access to consume and share the information they want on their mobile devices,? Mr. Pforzheimer said. ?What?s more, we?ve optimized them for Android devices, creating a richer, more personally relevant experience for users.

?We?ve also created QR codes that Android users scan and go directly to download the app,? he said.

In September, Yahoo is extended its brand into the mobile channel with three new applications.
The new applications include Flickr, as well as a BlackBerry and iPhone application for Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Fantasy Football (see story).

HTML5 technology
In addition, Yahoo Mail and Yahoo News for Apple?s iPhone and iPod touch are built on HTML5.

The upgraded service is available in 28 languages across 200 countries.

HTML5 consumers can view messages, compose text messages, reply, search emails and access folders while offline.

Additionally, users can manage folders and create smart folders with messages from key contacts and surface photos and video attachments directly within the mail preview.

?From a marketing and advertising perspective, you?ll see Yahoo use combination of WAP media on all major mobile networks and publishers, PC Media targeting some of the technology blogs and Android enthusiast sites, use of Yahoo Inventory ? both on PC and mobile, and network integration across our sites,? Mr. Pforzheimer said.

?Additional on and offline media campaigns and tactics will be rolling out in the near future,? he said. ?The Yahoo Mail app for Android offers advertisers an opportunity to reach a highly engaged mobile audience.

?Samsung is the inaugural advertiser with a rich media display advertising unit.?

Final Take
Rimma Kats, editorial assistant at Mobile Marketer, New York