Developers have been making Flash Lite mobile games and applications for years, but they've yet to take the world by storm. Why? A lack of widespread distribution.

Or, to put it bluntly: developers could make 'em, but mobile users didn't know where to buy 'em - or that they even existed in the first place. This, despite the fact that Adobe had signed Flash preload deals with some of the world's biggest handset makers.

That's started to improve - Flash apps can be bought on Nokia's Ovi Store for example. But now Adobe is stepping in with its own Adobe Flash Platform distribution service, which aims to help developers get their apps onto web social networks, but also smartphones.

Adobe is working with widget firm Gigya on the initiative, which on the mobile side will support Windows Mobile, Symbian S60 and - strangely given its lack of Flash support - the iPhone.

The initiative could finally kickstart the long-promised process of bringing the thousands of web-based Flash developers into the mobile entertainment ecosystem.

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