New eBay App for iPhone Hunts Holiday Deals

eBay Deals works essentially the same as eBay Mobile -- eBay's main iPhone app -- in that it lets iPhone users search eBay auctions, bid on choice items and also pay for those items through their mobile OS via PayPal integration.

The eBay Deals app appears to direct users to items that have less than four hours left to bid, have no bids or reserve prices already, and those that offer free or fixed-rate shipping.

"It's apparent that consumers want to shop for what they want, when they want and where they want, and that's not necessarily when they're sitting in front of a computer or even walking through the store," said eBay Marketplaces President Lorrie Norrington in a statement. "This eBay app for the iPhone is the ultimate tool to put in great value and selection at their fingertips on hte go, wherever they are."

The company is offering eBay Deals in eight languages, and shoppers can view potential deals in eight categories, including computers and electronics. Shoppers who don't have an iPhone or iPod Touch can also access the items spotlighted on eBay Deals through eBay's regular Deals page.

eBay also plans to kick off a "12 Days of Deals" special this Friday, spotlighting particular items. The first item, which goes live on Friday, is a Samsung Netbook N1220-12 GBK, and eBay plans to offer a new item every day until Dec. 8.

According to eBay, its iPhone app has been downloaded more than 5 million times since it first debuted in November 2008. The online auction giant also says that a purchase is made via eBay mobile every two seconds, and that it expects more than $500 million in merchandise to have been purchased through eBay Mobile by the end of the year.