At the CTIA wireless trade show this week in San Francisco, AOL is introducing a raft of new mobile services designed to get savvy mobile users relying on AOL for their mobile information and communications needs—and that, in turn, will help draw traffic to AOL’s content and digital advertising businesses. AOL’s new mobile offerings build off some of AOL’s strongest online properties, including AIM, AOL Email, AOL CityGuide, MapQuest, AOL Search, Moviefone, and Winamp—plus a WAP-enabled version of the AOL.com portal.
“We’ve listened to our users and are giving them more ways to tailor the AOL mobile experience just for them,” said AOL Mobile executive VP Scott Falconer, n a statement. “These new products reflect our commitment to being the mobile leader in offering users more engaging, easier to use, customized mobile experiences on their most personal of devices, their cell phones.”
The new mobile WAP version of the AOL.com portal offers access to AOL Mobile Search, AOL Email (which AOL says now offers faster performance and a better look and feel), and personalized news and information, like headlines, weather forecasts, and RSS feeds. Users can also tap into AOL Shopping, AOL CityGuide and MapQuest mapping services, and access a wide range of content.
The company also plans to roll out AOL MyMobile, a suite of mobile applications for Windows Mobile 6 which work together to provide native access to AOL services like AOL Email, AOL CityGuide, MapQuest, AOL Local Search, along with news, weather, and other content offerings. AOL says MyMobile’s applications work together to let users get what they want in the fewest number of clicks, and learns and remembers user favorite and recent requests to speed things along.
AOL also announced two new services for AIM users, Mobile AIM Short Code service and its AIM Buddy Finder Widget. The Mobile AIM Short Code service enables users on Verizon and Alltell networks to get AIM functionality via text messaging: users just text to the AIMAIM (246246) to access the new service. The AIM Buddy Finder mobile widget enables users to share their locations with AIM buddies from GPS enabled-phones: users will be able to plot their Buddies’ locations on MapQuest maps. The widget is currently available for download for Alltell subscribers; AOL plans to bring it to other carries (including Boost Mobile) soon.
AOL also announced a new edition if Winamp will also enable users to access videos stored on their home computers using mobile devices, and listen to music stored on their PCs or even game consoles like the Nintendo Wii. (Winamp remote currently enables user to tap into their PC music libraries remotely using their mobile phones.) Users will also be able to share streams with each other. Of course, standard data rates will likely apply to all this streaming—something that’s sure to keep mobile operators happy.
