Google officially launches ads on phones

Google (GOOG) has officially launched AdSense for mobile, giving its network of advertisers access to the growing number of people who are browsing Internet content on cell phones.

The move is unlikely to have a big financial impact in the short term; the program is tailored to publishers that have cell phone-friendly versions of their sites, and there aren't yet a whole lot of those.

But the move is still important because Google is, for the first time, directing piles of advertiser cash toward the mobile web. If publishers see that there's real money to be made from building tailored mobile sites, there's a greater chance that they will invest in developing mobile-only content.

Google's move comes as the online giant is giving more and more attention to online content. At the TechCrunch 40 conference in San Francisco this week, Google vice president of search products and user experience, said Google Maps saw a significant increase in usage this summer with the launch of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone. The iPhone has a separate Google Maps application that allows it to work well with the phone.