Priceline NORWALK, Conn., Feb. 12, 2014…Priceline.com, a leader in mobile travel and part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), announced today the launch of its Version 3.0 priceline.com app for the Android mobile operating system. The app is available for free download from the Google Play Store, and delivers a comprehensive suite of search and booking services for hotels, rental cars and airline tickets.
Today’s announcement is part of priceline.com’s continuing commitment to develop customized native apps for the expanding universe of mobile phones, tablets and other devices. It’s also a reflection of the growing popularity of Android devices among mobile travelers. Mobile trend-watchers have suggested that, with the attractive pricing of mid- to lower-end Android devices, the platform could see significant gains in coming years. In 2013, priceline.com’s Android app experienced highest YOY growth of all mobile platforms, more than doubling in 2013. Priceline Android users trend toward same-day hotel bookings, with a high booking rate in this category. And, Android users are embracing social sign in. Android users who sign in with Google have a 71% higher conversion rate than those who simply book through the app as “guests.”
“Version 3.0 is the first priceline.com app that represents a ‘pure’ Android experience, taking advantage of Android’s look and feel, and unique native functionality,” said John Caine, Chief Product Officer of priceline.com. “We believe that our rapidly growing community of Android customers will enjoy this app, which has been designed exactly with them in mind, and delivers a clean, intuitive and faster browsing and booking experience across all of our core travel services.”
Priceline.com Version 3.0 for Android includes numerous enhancements:
- A uniquely Android user interface. Users are welcomed to the new app by celebrity spokespersons Kaley Cuoco and William Shatner. In addition to using Android design patterns, the new interface features clean, easy to read type, highly intuitive navigational commands, and a quick browse-to-checkout path with few steps.
- Map-driven NYOP and Express Deal shopping. Instead of scrolling through lists of areas that often make it difficult to determine where a hotel is situated, travelers looking for priceline.com Express Deals® or Name Your Own Price® hotel rooms are presented with interactive maps that show the various neighborhoods where hotel deals are located making it clearer where they are bidding.
- Hotel-specific search capability. Android users who want a specific hotel now can simply type in the name of the hotel they want and the app will go find it, along with the priceline.com rate, description, pictures, satisfaction scores and guest reviews.
- 3-step Name Your Own Price checkout. Naming your own price for a hotel room is literally as easy as 1-2-3, and delivers savings of up to 60% over published hotel rates.
About priceline.com
Priceline.com, part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), gives leisure travelers multiple ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises. In addition to getting compelling published prices, travelers can take advantage of priceline.com’s famous Name Your Own Price® service, which can deliver the lowest prices available, or the recently added Express Deals®, where travelers can take advantage of hotel discounts without bidding.
