14 DAY TRIAL // Google is continuing to expand the use of its +1 button. Yesterday, it brought it to all Google Chrome users, which can now +1 any web page.
Now, it's enabling it for mobile web pages as well, ensuring that those browsing with their smartphones can share their favorite pages and info just like anyone else.
So far, the embedded +1 button, that you've been seeing on plenty of websites, has only been visible to desktop browser users.
But Google is enabling it for those using Android or iOS phones and tablets as well. Webmasters don't really have to do anything, if they already have the +1 button installed on their sites.
"The +1 button helps people around the web get recommendations from their friends, and we want to make sure you can make recommendations on the go," Punit Soni, product manager for Google+ Mobile, wrote.
"To help, we’ve made the +1 button available on the mobile web. Now you can tap to +1 directly from your mobile phone or tablet," he said.
Other than the fact that mobile users can +1 now as well, there's nothing really new, the button works the same as always.
Note that the +1 button now shows up on regular web pages, not necessarily on the dedicated mobile versions of sites. That said, there's nothing stopping webmasters from adding the small script to any portion of their site, mobile or otherwise.
"The button will automatically be visible to anyone on Android 2.1+ and iOS 4.0+ browsers. When you +1 something, it will be displayed publicly across the Web as an annotation on the content you +1’d," Soni explained.
Other mobile users don't get to use the +1 button yet. The way things have been developing lately, it may be a while before BlackBerry or Windows Phone users get the +1 button.