The monetization of iPhone apps seems to be gaining ground thanks to developers and publishers who are creating enticing programs, and advertisers who are willing to sponsor them.  A recent article in MarketingVOX gave examples of successful apps that have benefited from the popularity of the iPhone and its app concept.  It seems as though to attract both viewers and sponsors, the secret sauce for apps is either to save consumers money or offer constantly updated content.

One example is msnbc.com’s app available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.  It doubled its daily active users two months after launching in June.  In addition (and quite possibly as a result of its popularity with users), it also maxed out the available sponsorship slots for October and November.  One of its sponsors, Lexus, ran an integrated campaign on the app for the entire month of October.  msnbc.com’s app contains ever-changing news and entertainment content, which users come back to throughout the day.  This repetitive behavior is a lure for advertisers, according to Charlie Tillinghast, president of msnbc.com.

The Trip Cubby and Gas Cubby apps, which track trip mileage and gas mileage respectively, have landed a sponsorship deal with Honeywell’s consumer auto brands of FRAM, Prestone and Autolite.  According to developer David Barnard, this could be the “first sponsorship deal of its kind where an independent iPhone developer has partnered with a single company to sponsor a free app.”

Sponsorship deals with iPhone apps, like the ones mentioned above, show that the Mobile space can be profitable in the real world.  Like Search Engine Marketing and Social Media, I think what we’re seeing is the beginning of a new trend in New Media for marketers as they come to realize Mobile’s value.