Property24 releases iPhone app

Three months after re-launching their mobile website, online property portal, Property24.com, has extended their offering for smartphone users with the introduction of their iPhone application.

The application, which is free to download from the iTunes store, is an intuitive property search tool that uses iPhone-specific functionality to provide users with access to Property24.com’s extensive listings database via a richer, more customisable interface.

This development comes hot on the heels of Property24.com’s new WAP site, which, since its launch in August, has seen a 350% increase in user traffic - a trend that has emerged largely as a result of increased smartphone availability in the country.

“Smartphones have become ubiquitous in South Africa, with many consumers relying on these devices as their primary point of Internet access. We want to be able to offer our audience the freedom to access the full functionality of the Property24.com portal, irrespective of time and location, and the advanced features afforded by today’s smartphones have allowed us to do that and more,” says Property24.com’s general manager JP Farinha.

The newly launched iPhone application makes extensive use of GPS technology to provide a uniquely intuitive interface, allowing users to search for nearby properties to buy or rent based on their current location. Users are also able to bookmark their favourite properties for repeat viewing and can contact relevant estate agents directly through the app. 

“Smartphones have become an extension of their owners’ personalities and today’s audiences are looking for an experience that is tailored to their individual requirements. This application has been built with the on-the-go generation in mind, and functions innately based on each user’s unique preferences, giving it a more personalised feel,” says Farinha.

Android and Blackberry users will also soon be able to download their own device-specific applications which are currently in the works and expected to be launched early in 2012. An iPad application will also be released during the course of the year.

“Our goal is to make full use of the wide range of smartphone devices on the market, in order to provide the majority of our users with an optimised experience. Mobile is no longer the future – it’s very much the present, and, as the needs of our customers evolve, so too must our service.”