Google Launches Smartphone Specific AdSense Units

In attempts to improve opportunities for advertisers and publishers on the mobile platform, Google is rolling out larger ad units for display on smartphones such as the iPhone and Android-enabled devices through its AdSense Mobile product.

Announcing the feature in a blog post, Google said the new units would “help to nurture the smartphone ecosystem by encouraging the creation of more mobile content and by helping advertisers to grow their businesses by reaching new audiences.” It added that consumer experience would also be improved, since ads would load faster and fit better on smaller screens.

Mobile Internet access is growing rapidly in the U.S. and throughout Europe, largely thanks to the proliferation of handsets such as the iPhone, and the improved user experience afforded by the HTML-based browsers with which they ship. In the U.S., for example, mobile Web access grew 34 percent in the 12 months ending July ’09, according to Nielsen Online.

With that in mind, it’s unsurprising Google wants to enhance its mobile offering as it looks to replicate its dominant position in the desktop-oriented online ad world. The new units are live now in all territories in which AdSense is currently available, which is the vast majority of markets in which Google currently operates.