iPhone News Updated

AT&T unveils iPhone application for business users

AT&T unveils iPhone application for business users

AT&T Inc., the largest U.S. phone company, introduced an application for business users of Apple Inc.’s iPhone today as the carrier looks for new ways to boost revenue in a near-saturated mobile market.

The application, called AT&T Connect, will help customers conduct conference calls and send text messages during them. It’s part of a push to make more traditional communications services available on mobile phones, said Chris Hill, vice president of mobile products for AT&T’s business group.

Smartphone apps may be a low-cost solution to slowing growth by helping to stimulate demand for data plans, Hill said. The business group has been affected by layoffs at companies, cutting demand for employee phone services. Wireless growth has slowed in the U.S., with more than 9 mobile devices for every 10 people, according to the CTIA industry association.

“There’s two areas where we’re seeing explosive growth,” Hill said yesterday in an interview. “One is the movement of voice-only subscribers to smartphones.” The other is wireless connections to machines, such as medical equipment that can upload patients’ test results, he said.

The business application will be available for free in Apple’s App Store today, AT&T spokesman Fletcher Cook said. BlackBerry users will be able to download it from Research In Motion Ltd.’s store, he said.

AT&T, based in Dallas, declined 17 cents to $26.10 in midmorning New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares had declined 6.3 percent this year before today.

“AT&T’s philosophy here is, ‘We’ll develop the application for core services that we have,’” Hill said.

[Thanks: http://www.app.com]

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