Google+ iPhone app now awaiting Apple approval

Wasting no time whatsoever, Google has submitted a Google+ iPhone app to the App Store and is now awaiting approval by Apple, Google technician Erica Joy revealed today. Google+ is the company’s new social network platform, launched at the end of June.

In her Google+ post, Joy clarified that the app was submitted to Apple “sometime prior to today”, which means that we could see a Google+ app on the iPhone very soon. I would wager that we’ll see the app ready for download within a week or two — assuming that Apple doesn’t hold up the approval process.

Google has a mobile web version of Google+ that runs pretty well on the iPhone (and is accessible by other smartphone browsers). But a genuine iPhone app would undoubtedly be faster and offer more features (like notification messages), that would give iPhone users a similar experience to the existing Google+ Android app.

Joy also noted that she wasn’t sure if the app would also be optimized for the iPad (and that her iPad is “sitting on its dock collecting dust”). It makes more sense for Google to get an iPhone-specific app out first, as there are plenty more iPhones out there than iPads. Google can always update the app later to include full iPad support.

Google+ still isn’t open to everyone yet — you need an invite to use the service, and Google has made it clear that it’s still in beta testing. After launching last week, Google+ has generated a surprising amount of buzz for a social service coming out of the search giant. When Google+ invites were first opened up last week, the company had to put a squash to them due to “insane demand.” That’s certainly a good sign for Google, and it already seems clear that Plus will avoid the fate of Buzz and Wave.

Via Mashable

We’ll be exploring the most disruptive mobile trends at our fourth annual MobileBeat 2011 conference, on July 12-13 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. It will focus on the rise of 4G and how it delivers the promise of true mobile computing. We’re also accepting entries for our mobile startup competition at the show. MobileBeat is co-located with our GamesBeat 2011 conference this year. To register, click on this link. Sponsors can message us at sponsors@venturebeat.com.