Schmap are releasing a public beta of a new service today to enable your website for the iPhone. Add Schmap’s javascript snippet to your website, and it will additionally display contact and address information formatted in a very iPhone-friendly way. Here’s how it looks on their featured site, Pure Food And Wine.
Touching any of the fields will launch the relevant iPhone application e.g. touch the phone number to call the number. Turning the phone on its side will keep the contact details visible and also show a map.
I did notice that this javascript add-on does not show nearby Points Of Interest or integrate with the rest of the Schmap City Guides. In that respect, this new service is somewhat distinct from the rest of Schmap’s offering – it’s more of a a one-to-one channel rather than the general location-based information that Schmap are well-known for.
Overall, I think this is a useful way to draw iPhone users’ attention to usually the most sought-after information about a business – how to find and contact them. It’s acting as an iPhone-centric banner headline.
The use of browser detection means that this banner is invisible to desktop users. But being iPhone-specific, it’s also invisible to other mobile users. Schmap told me they are working to bring this to other platforms including Nokia S60, Blackberry and Android.
This does raise the wider question about developers creating iPhone-only sites. Apple’s device has at least raised consciousness about the importance of mobile visitors. It’s also true that many “iPhone-only” sites are viewable on other devices with equally capable browsers, as Symbian Guru has recently observed.
Ideally, websites should create a device-agnostic site that caters to mobiles as well as desktops. In the real world however, businesses already have websites that they are happy with, and are unlikely to have yet bothered to fully mobilise their site, or even design an iPhone-friendly version. In this respect, Schmap’s solution makes it quick and easy for website owners to cater to a growing mobile segment.