Wikipedia can now be accessed through an iOS app thanks to recent efforts by the Wikimedia Foundation to make Wikipedia more mobile friendly, TechCrunch reports.

The new Wikipedia app will make improvements to the visuals of Wikipedia on an iOS device, include a better search and allow users to share facts and Wikipedia articles with friends on social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and others.

Wikipedia receives almost half a billion monthly users that seek out information from the site's more than 34 million articles in 288 languages. 

Wikipedia is already embedded into iOS devices with Spotlight search and Siri. Users might not turn to the Wikipedia app knowing that these two functions already use Wikipedia.

The Wikimedia Foundation wants the new app to be easier to use, more attractive and more engaging for users to encourage them to use it. The app aims to get people to occasionally use it, even when they are not searching for something.

The app has a "random" feature that will pull up an interesting article on a completely random topic. There is also a "nearby" option that will generate content that is related to the area that a user is in.

The app will take into consideration that those reading Wikipedia articles on a mobile device are often in a hurry and have a smaller screen than a computer. Because of this, articles will include a short descriptor right at the top of the page that will answer quick questions on topics. Many articles also begin with a picture.

The search function has been improved to include a higher contrast search bar and the capability of showing recent searches.

Articles will be followed by further information on the topic, encouraging readers to seek out more information on topics they are curious about.

The new app will also let users create an image with a fact on top of it. They can then share these images with friends on social media. It is like sharing a "fact card" with friends, instead of just sending a link. 

Wikipedia for iOS can be downloaded for free from the App Store.