Local Search and the iPhone

While waiting for AT&T to get its 3G network hooked up out here in the boonies where I live (really, it’s not that remote…) so I can buy the new iPhone, I’ve been collecting as much good information as I could find about the phone and, more specifically, the local search applications available for it.

As far as I can tell, no one has done a better job bringing together local search and the new iPhone apps than Greg Sterling, who today published a 58-page PDF called “A Survey of Location-Aware iPhone Applications.” The players you’d expect are there — Yelp, YellowPages.com, TripAdvisor, etc. — along with a lot of apps you may have missed. Greg lists and shows what’s available in seven different categories, from restaurants to movies to yellow pages and more. Visit Greg’s blog for the download link.

Here are links to some other sources talking about local apps on the new iPhone:

• Lifehacker: What’s Good (and Free!) in the iTunes App Store — among the many apps profiled are a few local apps
• TechCrunch: iPhone Application Overview And Demo Videos — there are a few video demos of local apps
• Search Engine Watch: 24 iPhone Applications That Accelerate Mobile Search — mentions several local apps

Since I’m still a couple months away from getting the new iPhone (that’s when 3G is supposed to be available here), I’d love to hear your pick as the best local search app available….