From the Yellow Pages directory to augmented reality - 15 March 2010

Yell adds an Augmented Reality iPhone App to join its number one App to make finding local businesses easier than ever - and a lot more fun

Yell.com is building on the success of its number one business App with the development of an Augmented Reality version, available free on the App Store.

The free Augmented Reality iPhone Beta App has been designed by Yell Labs, a group of technicians and strategists dedicated to making Yell the best way for local companies to advertise themselves and the best way for local people to find them.

The App allows users to ‘see’ local shops, offices, restaurants and other useful services through the iPhone’s camera viewer - even if they’re round the corner or in the next street.

Yell’s integrated online, on-phone and in-print services are the natural way to find a local business or service, just like it used to be when there was only the Yellow Pages directory.

Matthew Bottomley, director of new media product marketing at Yell, said: “This is an exciting new way to advertise local businesses.

“It means any business can be found easily, even if it’s tucked away around a corner or in the next street. So as people get used to using this kind of technology, having a prime ‘high street’ location could well become a lot less important.”

How it works

As you move the iPhone around, yellow boxes are displayed over the live feed of the world directly in front of you. If you touch one of these boxes, information is displayed about that specific business such as address, phone number, opening hours and website.

It’s a combination of the iPhone’s GPS and compass, which combine to pinpoint exactly where you are, and the way you’re facing. Yell then seamlessly overlays the relevant information, taken from its database of two million businesses.

The App, which requires an iPhone 3GS, features:

• Radar: shown at the top of the screen, indicates which businesses are around you, 360°
• Categories Bar: swish your finger to the right and a display with popular searches appears allowing you to get to the information you want quickly
• Range: swish your finger to the left and you can set the distance that you want to see, therefore allowing you to reduce the amount of information on the screen

Said Matthew Bottomley: “We’re pleased with the result of our first experiment with Augmented Reality and are now working on fully integrating AR with our mobile service later in the year.”

For more information visit: http://www.yell.com/mobilephones

To download the App visit: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/yell-labs/id344495717?mt=8


For further information about this press release, please contact the Yell Press Office.

Notes to editors:
Yell.com will offer all of its mobile services free of charge to users. Standard network charges will apply and will vary dependent on individual providers and tariff packages.

Yell’s new iPhone App should only be accessed and used by, or with the permission of the mobile phone bill payer.

In accordance with UK laws, Yell.com should not be used whilst driving.

Restrictions and conditions apply.

About Yell.com
Launched in 1996, Yell.com is the UK’s local business search engine and a major online advertising medium for small and medium sized enterprises. Yell.com provides consumers with a direct and effective route to finding a business or service online using keyword, type of business, or company name and location as search criteria. Consumers can review relevant search results and quickly determine the right business for their needs based on detailed advertiser information and rich, vertical content to better help them make a decision. Yell.com’s up to date, comprehensive and trusted database of over two million UK business listings including 208,000 searchable advertisers (December 2009) can be accessed via the web site (www.yell.com), through web browsers on all mobile phones and a downloadable application available on a wide range of mobile devices. Yell.com also provides sophisticated, zoom-enabled maps to help consumers locate its SME advertisers, and provides other features such as walking and driving directions, closest car parks and street views.

Yell.com is part of Yell, a leading international directories business operating in classified advertising markets in the UK, US, Spain and Latin America through printed, online and telephone-based media. Yell’s principal brands include: in the UK, Yellow Pages, Yell.com and 118 24 7; in the US, Yellow Book and Yellowbook.com; and in Spain, Paginas Amarillas and PaginasAmarillas.es. All these brands are trademarks.

^ Back to top