Flickr Comes To The Apple App Store

The free Apple iPhone app from Flickr was quietly released into the App Store before the weekend and provides the majority of the functions most users could want from the photo-sharing service. Photos can be taken and uploaded directly to the Web site, users can browse contacts and, for iPhone 3G S users, videos can be taken and uploaded as well.

The photo-sharing site knows that Apple's iPhone has long been one of its most popular cameras, which could be why Flickr rolled out the app. Regardless of the reason, iPhone users and amateur photogs are likely happy to see the white, red and blue icon available on their phone.

Yahoo didn't stop building features into the app, however. Users can also enter meta keywords, tag photos, as well as create and update photo sets. For users on the go, the Flickr app includes a geotagging feature that lets friends and contacts see exactly where a particular photo was taken.

Users can also comment on and forward favorite individual photos from the iPhone app without having to log in to a computer.

One of the pleasant surprises of the Flickr for iPhone App happens when users open the application. Photos from contacts and friends on the site play on the screen, letting friends stay in the loop and see what has recently been uploaded by people they care most about.

However, in limited use the app still appears to be a little bit flaky, and Yahoo may be working out some of the kinks. Using the app to take, tag and upload photos this morning has already resulted in at least two crashes for me since downloading it this morning. However, it's understandable since the Flickr app is still in version 1.0. But the goodwill Flickr has banked by releasing the app may diminish as quickly as will users' tolerance for lost photos and tags.