More regional newspapers are set to launch iPhone applications in the next few months as the popularity of mobile phone sites gathers pace.

The Manchester Evening News has already launched an iPhone app and now the Northcliffe-owned regional titles are to follow.

The apps are to be introduced across the publisher’s thisis network of newspaper companion sites, starting with the 21 biggest sites including thisisnottingham.co.uk and thisisbristol.co.uk.

The launch is part of a wider strategy by Northcliffe’s parent company DMGT which is launching the apps on a number of its national portals including Mail Online, Jobsite and Findaproperty.com.

Northcliffe’s content strategy director Robert Hardie said: “An app doesn’t replace the browsing experience on an iPhone, it enhances it for users who prefer the experience. We fully expect many users to carry on browsing outside the app, and we have .mobi versions of all our sites both for them and for the substantial number of non-iPhone users.”

“In terms of timing, the costs are realistic now, the 3GS iPhone has got the market to the right place, and the very early entrants have learned a lot of lessons that we don’t have to relearn.”

The roll-out of the new apps is being overseen by DMGT’s digital arm, Associated Northcliffe Digital.

In an interview with the FT, its managing director Richard Titus said hie objective was to be “the leading mobile publisher of applications in Europe.”

Mr Titus said all of the apps will be free to download and supported by advertising.

He added: “Mobile advertising is very new but is now something that people are starting to take seriously.”