Orkut on the iPhone — a Brazilian socialite’s dream come true

October 9, 2008 | Eric Eldon | Comments |

Google-owned social network Orkut has come out with an iPhone-customized app site, months after larger rivals like Facebook and MySpace built their own apps. Why the delay in iPhone customization? Well, Orkut dominates Brazil far more than any other country, as Google Trends indicates. And the iPhone only became available in Brazil last week. Orkut + iPhone in Brazil = now relevant.

Here’s what the app gives users, per the company blog post:

  • Your personalized home page with status and activity updates from your friends, along with all-important birthday reminders
  • Your scrapbook where you can both read and write scraps
  • Your friend list with one-click call access to anyone whose number is publicly displayed on orkut
  • Fully functional search for anyone on orkut so that you can add new friends as you meet them
  • Photos in a rich full-screen format

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About the Author, Eric Eldon

Eric currently covers digital media technology and business news, especially what's happening on social networks and their platforms. He also writes and edits stories about venture capital, and lots of other stuff, too. He started at VentureBeat in the spring of 2007, half a year or so after Matt Marshall left his reporting job at the San Jose Mercury News to found the site. Eric previously cofounded a startup called Writewith, that was building editorial software for newspapers and other groups of writers. The startup didn't work out, but he learned a lot.

  • Orkut announced a version of their mobile website optimized for iPhone OS's Mobile Safari browser, but not an installable application. Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn have applications available for the iPhone OS installed via the App Store.
  • Um, yeah, I just embarrassed myself right there. Corrected.
  • Ya dear I think I also think that why orkut delay to launch new version of iphone many people waiting for them.
  • Ramon
    What's the point of accessing social networks from mobiles? I can see why I would check a messenger from a mobile and email.. but social networks?
    iPhone has been a huge success here in Brazil before it was officially launched, I have a lot of buddies with them running on local networks. Anyway I think Iphone is great for people that just noticed how great a phone is now and for others that think how great looking at a site from a small screen is, I still prefer Nokia and will for a long time due to the quality of the applications provided. Anyone who is serious about browsing looks at regular sites through regular devices, maybe the MIDs will fetch my attention in a couple of years when they get better performance.
  • Focussing on developing a website which is optimised for iPhones - is an utter waste of developer's time. The iPhone browser shows standard websites really well and barring a few instances, renders most links perfectly.

    Orkut needs to have an iPhone APP. The app should have location awareness. That'll rock the iPhone.

    Personally... I'm a facebook junkie.