Yahoo's Goin' Mobile: Hello, iPhone

According to the company, Yahoo! Mobile for the Web's open environment can bring together users' favorite content and services from across the Internet.

But earning a profit from the mobile division has been a thorny issue for Yahoo. In response, these new apps will feature display advertising from leading brands. Rich media functions such as e-mail, click-to-call and location-based services, will be part of the package.

Yahoo! Mobile for the Web is now available on more than 300 devices with HTML-enabled mobile browsers. The Yahoo! Mobile iPhone application can be purchased via the Apple iPhone App Store. The company also plans to preview the soon-to-be-launched Yahoo! Messenger app for the iPhone.

Recent rumblings within the industry have expressed concern with exactly how much pull the mobile division will have within Yahoo. The company is facing a number of challenges: reorganizing under its new CEO; a lingering suitor in Microsoft, which still seems interested in pursuing acquisition; and the departure of Marco Boerries, the "face" of Yahoo's Mobile division.