Simon Property app helps shoppers find deals — and their car

While many iPhone applications go viral, one app can boast that it extends across roughly 263 million square feet — of retail space.

Simon Property Group, the biggest retail property owner nationwide, with an interest in 393 real estate properties across the country, launched its iPhone app last month, allowing users of an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch access to promotions, information on store openings and event announcements.

And while the iPhone app phenomenon is hardly new to the real estate industry, Retail Traffic Magazine reported that Simon is just the second major retail real estate investment trust to launch a mobile app based on its properties (the other is CBL & Associates).

Mikael Thygesen, chief marketing officer with Simon, said the aim is to make shopping a collaborative experience. (Simon has several properties in the New York metro area.)

“The application also integrates Foursquare, Twitter and Facebook, so consumers can share their shopping experience through their social networks without ever having to leave the application,” Thygesen said in a statement.

There is one other feature that could broaden its appeal: The Simon app helps locate lost cars in the parking garage using a combination of GPS and Google maps.