iGoogle No Longer Optimized for iPhone

iPhone owners using iGoogle as of late will find that the site has changed its look. In fact, the iGoogle address formerly devoted to the iPhone now redirects to a standard Google mobile website. Why did Google opt to remove what was arguably the superior interface, and replace it with a site that is more difficult to use and has less features?

According to Google representatives, having one mobile site will ensure speed and reliability, and provides a uniform experience for all mobile users. No doubt it also reduces the cost of maintaining several versions of iGoogle individually optimized for different devices.

Fears of a conspiracy look to be unfounded, as the Android optimized version of iGoogle has also been removed. One report, however, did find that the Gmail widget only functions properly on the G1, and will not display on an iPhone or BlackBerry.

Former users of iGoogle for iPhone are disappointed, to say the least. Hopefully Google will take feedback into account as it focuses on improving the generic iGoogle interface. In the meantime, iPhone users can read Google's support pages to help track down iPhone-optimized Google services. If your content has disappeared from the new page, the iGoogle section under "Web Search Help" should explain why this content is no longer compatible with the mobile site.