We know that mobile is not about replacing the desktop, but it is about leveraging the desktop in ways that enhances the mobile experience. This include finding content, and sending such content to the handset (over wireless or wire).

I bet this will be the preferred method to discover and load local applications on the iPhone — via iTunes. This also is the approach Android should take, to leverage the (Google’s) web presence.

The ability to search, find and send information from the Web (desktop) to the handset is the killer combination. And a perfect example of this is TomTom / Google’s new partnership (which BTW can end up in Google swallowing up TomTom in the future):

…allow users to send business addresses directly from the Google Maps Web site to TomTom devices.

The above is subtle, but of great importance in my opinion…

From TomTom Gets New Directions From Google (eWeek):

“The ability to search, find and send information from the Web to a TomTom is something we have been investing in for some time now,

Related to this see The Next Big Thing in Mobile: Local Applications, and how the iPhone will, and how the OHA and Android can change perceptions.