Gap Launches Shopping App for iPad [Video]

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Gap has launched a dedicated iPad application - developed by AKQA - that features a range of branded and Gap-related content, and allows users to browse and purchase products from its 1969 range of clothing.

View ClickZ's demo video:

In reaction to the hype that has surrounded the device over the past few months, major media brands have scrambled to prepare applications for it, and to sell ad opportunities alongside their creations. At present, however, there is a relative lack of applications created specifically for the device by consumer brands and retailers themselves.

Gap's free application, launched yesterday, invites users to browse through a selection of video content, press coverage, celebrity imagery, and a range of Gap products. Web content is accessible from within the app, alongside Twitter feeds from Gap staff such as designer Patrick Robertson. Each piece of content prompts the user to share it with friends via e-mail, and features a call to action prompting users to purchase from directly within the app.

The iPad's location-based functionality is also utilized, allowing users to identify the nearest Gap store via Google's map product, or to search for any store in the U.S. Unlike some applications currently available for the device, the entire experience takes place within the application itself -- without directing the user to browser windows, even for content on third-party sites.

Gap already has a similar transactional application with a store locator available for the iPhone, but the generous screen size of the iPad provides a superior experience when viewing products and consuming content.