CTIA: Yahoo updates Blueprint, launches iPhone social network

SAN FRANCISCO – In its trek to be the dominant name in mobile Web browsing, Yahoo today made concessions to both mobile developers and consumers. During a CTIA keynote, Marcos Boerries,executive vice president of the Connected Life Division, announced an expansion of its Blueprint mobile development platform and introduced attendees to oneConnect, a socially infused phone book.

Yahoo’s new Blueprint now includes the ability to build standalone applications for Java, Windows Mobile and Symbian devices as well as create mobile Web sites for any HTML or xHTML mobile browser. The platform is designed to help both Yahoo and the entire industry develop mobile services quicker and optimized for mobile phone’s Web browsers, according to Boerries.

“Our way is the best way to create mobile Internet services,” Boerries said in his keynote address. “Blueprint is not another mobile OS. There’s enough of those out there – good ones, not so good ones, but a variety. It is not a platform for developing games. And it’s not proprietary – it’s completely open and not limited to just Yahoo.”

Through a set of pre-built components, developers can use image, video and mapping controls with device optimization. It’s not about creating the lowest-common denominator, Boerries said, but rather enabling the best user experience. The open, cross-platform technology works on thousands of devices and can be used by any company. While Boerries is confident a lot of publishers will choose Yahoo for advertising, it is not a requirement.

Yahoo is using the Blueprint platform internally to develop iPhone applications, and Boerries said they are in discussions with Apple on how to make Blueprint available to other developers. The new platform is available for preview today, and commercial release is planned for later this year.