© Milica Sekulic

Google this week announced the introduction of mobile image ads, moving beyond the text-based ads the company launched last fall for mobile devices.

"Previously, only text-based Web ads were available, but now both mobile advertisers and publishers can present branded messages to mobile users and have them appear as they would on a desktop," writes BizReport's Helen Leggatt. "The image ads are keyword-targeted, priced on a CPC basis and must link to a mobile web page."

"A number of other companies already display banner ads on mobile Web pages," notes PC World's Nancy Gohring. "Yahoo, AdMob and Third Screen, which is now owned by AOL, are among companies that display banner ads for advertisers. Microsoft displays banner ads on some of its mobile Web pages, such as MSNBC and other MSN mobile Web pages."

More here from Crave ... more here from Reuters ... more here from ZDNet ... more here from TechShout ... more here from TelecomTiger ... more here from TechWhack ... and Google's announcement is here.