• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, December 15, 2009

The iPhone cavalcade of apps keeps on coming, with tandem announcements Tuesday of new magazine apps from Hachette Filipacchi Media and Meredith Corp.

The apps, drawing on content from core interest areas of these publishers' magazines, are just the latest in a series of mobile content initiatives targeting iPhones and smartphones from traditional media companies in the publishing and broadcasting arenas.

The Hachette apps emphasize utility and include a location-based Elle shopping guide, an Elle astrology program, a Woman's Day "cooking assistant" (sponsored by Knorr) with thousands of recipes among other content, a buyer's guide from Car and Driver (sponsored by Toyota), and a Cycle World general app covering multiple content areas.

Todd Anderman, Hachette's senior vice president for digital media, explained: "As we invest in apps that are being monetized through advertising and premium downloads, we are focusing on branded apps that are both entertaining and informative as well as those that provide utility and location-based services." All the apps are compatible with both iPhone and iPod touch devices, and are available at the Apple App Store.

Tuesday also saw the official launch of an iPhone app for kids from Meredith's Parents Network, timed to coincide with the relaunch of Parents.com and the introduction of a new Parents Community. The iPhone app, called "iPlay and Learn," features quizzes, tracing programs, and flashcards for babies, toddlers, and older children. According to Meredith, the kid-targeted iPhone app has already been downloaded 15,000 times since its soft launch.

The last couple of months have seen iPhone and smartphone apps launched by an array of traditional media companies. In October, Gannett's national flagship, USA Today, launched an iPhone app called AutoPilot -- sponsored by Hampton Hotels -- which allows the user to stay abreast of trip and flight itineraries, orient themselves with a GPS-enabled location tracker, find and contact travel service providers like rental cars and hotels through a digital directory, stay abreast of weather conditions and read USA Today's travel-related blogs.

Also in October, Conde Nast unveiled an app that allows users to download entire magazines for $2.99 per month. And in October, BBC World Service partnered with Stitcher.com to create a free "Smart Radio" app compatible with the iPhone, BlackBerry and Palm Pre.

In September, Clear Channel added a daily video-on-demand service to its IHeartRadio app for iPhones, following high download rates for the basic apps among iPhone and BlackBerry users.