The Yorkdale shopping mall in Toronto, Canada has released an app for Windows Phone. It's a must-have for all shoppers who are making their way to the stores to help get through parking (or taking advantage of the valet service), locating favourite shops and finding places to grab that much needed bite to eat between spending all hard-earned cash.
So what's featured in the Yorkdale app? Users can check real-time parking availability to judge when's best to head to the mall, the latest fashion trends, mall directions, store information and promotions. It's a neat way to view the latest promotions from stores without actually visiting the mall. See something awesome you wish to get? The app can then accompany you on the adventure.
If you're serious about shopping and using the Yorkdale app, you'll be able to win prizes through the app with the array of contests that are presently listed on the official mall website. The "Where am I?" tool enables users to select stores they're currently outside (or inside) and the app will locate exactly where they are on the mall map. As mentioned above, the ability to locate places to eat is available with all dining establishments listed.
The store directory can be filtered by category, favourites and promotions, and each listing features more information on the establishment, including the phone number, location and more. There's always an interactive mall map to know exactly where to go. Before you can park up and get shopping, the app sports GPS directions to assist travelling to the complex (if you're not into using Nokia Drive or similar solution).
Lastly, the Yorkdale app sports an interactive level of social integration, with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube access available. If that wasn't enough, gift card balances can also be accessed.
You can download Yorkdale from the Windows Phone Store. Thanks, thaman04, for the tip!
Reader comments
Yorkdale shopping mall releases Windows Phone companion app
Yet no instagram, Pandora, temple run, jetpack joyride, or photosynth for wp8
Stop the bitching, that a mall took the time to develop a wp8 is awesome
Kinda nice to get some love from Yorkdale. They are also the only mall in Canada with a proper Microsoft store so this is definitely a good thing.
@juan: And how exactly is the lack of these applications relevant to this article? Go bitch somewhere else if you feel it is necessary to take pictures of food and apply vomit filters to it.
That's awesome. Now I just need to travel a thousand miles to test it out.
I was at Yorkdale Mall this past weekend visiting the MS store and saw an ad for this app but it was only for iOS and Android. Great to see it for WP now. The parking availability alone makes it worth having, that mall is always busy. BTW, the MS Store is still very busy, looks like that location is doing very well.
Nice! Looks like a clean WP app and sounds pretty cool from R0bR's description. An app for a mall is pretty mainstream so this is good news.
Hmm... I've had this app since December. Did it get bumped to WP8?
Now we need Simon Malls and Westfield and...
This is exactly the sort of thing we need! It's not just about the big apps that are popular everywhere. We need the apps from the local stores, radio and tv stations, restaurants, etc. It's really bad when they advertise to download their app for iPhone or Android, but no mention of WP.
While these kinds of mall apps aren't particularly useful (and really serve as advertising vehicles), it's a telling indication of the slowly-building strength of the platform. Having the major apps on a platform is great, and necessary, but getting development for all the fringe apps is equally important (not the scammy "fart" type apps, but real development and an honest effort to make something good). Next time I'm in Yorkdale I'll be sure to download the app.
No need for this. It's for Canadian bacon people. I prefer USA stores
This is pretty major since this is a major mall in Toronto :)
Also - if you go to yorkdale.com the main feature banner shows "Windows" first and then lists the other platforms after. Also in the mall, they have banners everywhere promoting the Windows Phone app. It's awesome:)