Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) has added accelerometer APIs (Application Programming Interface) to its WebKit HTML renderer, reports Ars Technica. Designed to bring awareness of the user's current screen orientation to web applications, the APIs were originally developed by Steve Block, an engineer at Google and included on the Android platform. Google is apparently now preparing to bring the standard to its Chromium open source project, which is considered the development build of the Chrome browser.

The idea is simple: Web developers can make use of JavaScript to track the screen orientation of the device, and adapt their applications accordingly. Separately, work to add orientation support also began on Firefox in 2009--albeit implemented in a different manner. This capability is expected to be built into Firefox 3.6 says CNET News.

It is perhaps inevitable that the increasing number of smartphones and tablets running full-featured web browsers will mean that websites will have to start giving mobile users a heavier consideration when it comes to site design. In fact, I suppose it won't be long before consideration of screen orientation (not just screen resolution) ends up as part of a standard check list for web designers.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Ars Technica
- check out this article at CNET News 

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