There’s something quite special about the fact that after 68 years the Yellow Pages is still around, even with the rise of the internet and search platforms.

But it is time to move on and consumers are turning to their smartphones instead of hefty books to find services such as plumbers and mechanics. So this morning in Johannesburg Trudon (the producer and owner of the Yellow Pages) has brought the brand into the 21st century in the form of an app.

The app allows businesses to list themselves so that consumers can find them easily. Results feature the average quotation offered by the business and users can also chat with a service provider.

Users will also be able to see how far away a business so you can choose the closest one to you.

Businesses will also be able to list to themselves on the app for free. Trudon hopes to have 100 000 small and medium business available soon.

Trudon hopes to help SMMEs reach a wider audience with the Yellow Pages app.

“The Yellow Pages is a heritage brand in South Africa and in moving with the times, we made a decision to keep the element of familiarity but further invest in digital search platforms,” general manager of marketing and business intelligence at Trudon Itumeleng Matlaila said in a statement.

The firm also tells us that it will collect analytical data to help businesses. This includes things such as response times and how many responses a business gets. We’re told that no individual user data will be captured.

The new Yellow Pages app is available for Android devices right now with the iOS application coming tomorrow (apparently the timezone difference caused a hitch at the App Store).

Registration is simple and can be done with either your Facebook account or, if you prefer separate accounts, you can sign up using your email address.

Trudon has said that the app will constantly be improved and users are welcome to make suggestions.

Oh and for those wondering, yes, the Yellow Pages book is still printed and accounts for 60 percent of Trudon’s advertising revenue. And no, the book isn’t being phased out.