That Yahoo is making attempts to lure users to spend more time on the company’s sites became evident on Wednesday, when CEO Carol Bartz told analysts at a briefing that the company intends to persist with its endeavors to modernize its online properties till summer next year.

Noting that the Yahoo network includes shopping, sports and finance sites, Bartz elucidated that Yahoo’s attempts were largely focused on enhancing its network with over a dozen websites, so as to bring on additional social media, video, and local content.

Clearly denying any plans of venturing into the handset or smartphone operating system arena with a Yahoo brand – a strategy that competitors Google and Microsoft have followed -, Bartz stated: “I don't want to have a handset. I don't want to be in that side of the business. We want to have the best, best applications.”

Ever since Bartz took over as the Yahoo chief executive in January last year, she has been trying to turn around the fortunes of the struggling company – an effort which has seen the reorganization of the company’s business’; shedding of assets; and acquisition of new companies.

While Yahoo last month announced the acquisition of online publisher Associated Content, a company that offers articles and videos created by freelancers; it Wednesday announced a partnership with Zynga, which will result in the availability of Zynga social networking games across Yahoo’s online properties.