Despite all the hype, the new iPhone 4 was met with harsh criticism from some reviewers, but none has been harder on the device than Consumer Reports. According to the magazine, Apple’s latest smartphone has horrible reception among other problems. While the technology company offered a free upgrade to address the issue, Consumer Reports still does not recommend the device. However, that has not stopped the magazine publisher from launching its own app on Apple’s smartphone platform. This application has a lot of potential and could greatly enhance the in-store experience for consumers.

Introducing Mobile Shopper

Officially known as Mobile Shopper, the Consumer Reports app builds on the recent launch of Consumer Reports Mobile, which as the name implies, is a mobile version of its conventional website. What it does is offer the ability to find information on certain products directly from your smartphone. The application essentially gives you three options, with the first one being a text-based search that lets you enter the name of the products you want more information on. You can also search for products by browsing through a total of five categories. The third and most interesting option is one the allows you to scan the products bar code with your i Phone.

Whatever method you choose, the app instantly delivers information on a given product. This information includes product ratings, features, and specifications. Consumers can also dig deeper by accessing a chart that compares the ratings, prices, and specifications of products. If you find any products you like, you can easily save them and post them to your Facebook profile where they can be viewed by friends. This is perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of the program as friends can also offer their input and recommend products. Consumer Reports says that integration with Twitter is currently in the works.

When you have finally decided on a product and are ready to purchase it, Mobile Shopper provides the option of buying it from a list of local retailers, which is powered through Milo, or purchasing it online through its partnership with PriceGrabber. The Consumer Reports iPhone app is also equipped with a feature called Vintage Photo Gallery. This feature offers images and information on approximately 3,000 test products and more than 17,000 non-test products, which could come in handy for those who are specifically looking for items tested or not tested by Consumer Reports.

A Huge Boost For Mobile Shopping

Consumer Reports’ Mobile Shopper is currently available at the Apple App Store for the price of .99, but will reportedly go up to .99 on January 1, 2011. It has also been reported that the application will soon be available for mobile devices running Googles Android operating system. Mobile Shopper could provide a huge boost for the mobile e-commerce sector by simply helping consumers make more informed decisions during spur-of-the-moment shopping ventures.

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