NEW YORK — Duane Reade chain has launched its first mobile application for iOS devices.

The free app, which is available in Apple’s iTunes Store, facilitates and enhances customer access to Duane Reade pharmacy services, photo printers, prescription refills, Balance Rewards offers, account information and in-store maps.

The latest move is part of Duane Reade’s array of digital and social media initiatives, which are designed to drive customer engagement and loyalty. The initiatives feature what the metropolitan New York drug chain, part of Walgreen Co., describes as “comprehensive retail social amplification programs,” which have played a key role in procuring consumer-generated media, including expansion of the chain’s Twitter community from 1,500 followers to more than 390,000 in seven months.

“The auspicious introduction of our Google Niantic Labs Ingress mobile gaming collaboration, and now an unveiling of the Duane Reade-branded retail mobile application, reinforces our commitment to be relevant on digital media where our customers are dedicating most of their time today,” comments Calvin Peters, online/PR manager for Duane Reade.

Customers who use the app can create a Balance Rewards loyalty account and connect it to Passbook, refill prescriptions by scanning the barcode on a medication bottle or sign up to get refill reminders, choose from various photo printing and editing options, and access a store locator and in-store maps to help find items easily.