The City Wire launches mobile browser theme

The City Wire has launched its new mobile theme format for use by the growing number of people around the world who get their news on mobile devices.

The new mobile theme takes advantage of the quicker navigation allowed on mobile devices, while making available all the content offered on the desktop version.

With the growth of mobile products on the rise, The City Wire is dedicated to keeping content as accessible as possible over many different technology platforms. Releasing the mobile version of the site was the first step toward that goal.

Using a mobile site as opposed to a downloadable mobile app allows the ability to not only launch our mobile efforts sooner, but also affords The City Wire the flexibility to create new features and respond to suggestions much quicker than if using a mobile app.

To see the mobile version of The City Wire, simply navigate to thecitywire.com on your mobile device's Internet browser.

“I'm glad to have the mobile site live, but I don't see it as an end product. I view it more like a springboard for greater and more powerful things to come for The City Wire. Our mobile site should and will be under constant refinement and expansion,” said Jake McTyre, TCW Media technology manager.

MOBILE USE
According to Magid's 2012 mobile study, smartphones are now used by 58% of American consumers age 12-64. Among those under 44 years, mobile use jumps to 76%.

“There’s no such thing as distinct mobile content anymore,” Tom Godfrey, Magid’s executive director of Mobile Strategy, said in this report. “What publishers and advertisers have to realize is that most content going forward will be consumed on a mobile device and that it must be accessible and optimized for that platform.”

Magid estimated that by mid 2013, the number of smartphone users will rise from 99 million to 151 million. Magid also predicts that Android phones will be used more than iPhone — 48% vs. 32%.

Also, ABIResearch estimates that 1.2 billion smartphones will enter the market over the next 5 years, about 40% of all handset shipments.

ABOUT THE CITY WIRE
The City Wire, re-launched in November 2008, is a media company that covers business, politics and culture in the Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas regions. News on The City Wire (www.thecitywire.com) also includes statewide business and political news. Almost 1 million people have visited the website between Nov. 1, 2008 and Aug. 31, 2012, and logged more than 5.9 million pageviews.

In addition to providing daily a wealth of news and information, The City Wire also provides a platform for visitors and Registered Users to post info in our Events Calendar, write blogs, post classified ads, post comments — just to name a few of the FREE options available on The City Wire.

The City Wire also formed and continues to benefit from content partnerships with KFSM 5 News, Little Rock-based Talk Business, Fayetteville-based KUAF 91.3 FM, and the Jon Williams Morning Show on 104.9 the X.