The days of single-purpose cell phones is coming to an end. The Apple iPhone, and devices like it, are preparing to put a lot of power in the hands of consumers.

On demand real estate services will be a primary positive result from such emerging technologies as they hit the marketplace as workable functions of these new products. Many US companies are betting that consumers will use mobile devices in the same way as they use the Internet, given the ability to do so.

And that's the problem.

Many in the Real Estate world disagree that consumers will use mobile devices to search through lists of data to find a property of interest... at least not with current technology. Mobile devices are used to seek out information on specific items. If the experience is fast, clean and simple, then consumers will adopt the technology.

But entering property information while driving or sitting aside the road looking at last-minute searches, is an unlikely scenario. It's much more comfortable, faster, and safer to do that part of the search at home, and then just key the results into their GPS. The consumer interface--even on the iPhone--isn't that friendly yet. Audio, video and photos need to be tailored to mobile devices in order to provide a persuasive consumer platform. It will be intersteing to watch as the industry listens to and adapts to the changing needs fo the real estate public over the coming years. Of course, Apple and Google, amongst others, are working on the problem too; not a bad set of creative partners.

*paraphrasing from Marty Lachance, REM, 10/08

Robert J. Morrow is editor of www.HamiltonHomeReview.com, an online real estate magazine serving Greater Hamilton, Ontario. Click here for a FREE SUBSCRIPTION sent to your email monthly. Click here to receive new Hamilton area listings in your email daily.