In the 12 months since the launch of the iPhone, many software companies have capitalised on the download capabilities of the phone and have got rich through iPhone applications.

While many would expect the large scale software companies to dominate the market, it is in fact the smaller ones which have a made a name for themselves.

Apple’s App Store is now crowded with about 13,000 games, many from tiny developers who have based their organisation on the success of the iphone.

But it seems now the big time players are ready to spoil the party. According to managing director at Lightspeed Venture Partners, Jeremy Liew, the inevitable is just around the corner.
“Although the top iPhone games are made by independents today, the big publishers will strike back,” Liew said.

“The iPhone only offers one way for games to get discovered today, and that favours the cash-rich big publishers.”

Apple has sold more than 40 million iPhones and iPod Touches, with more than 1.5 billion apps downloaded. According to Mobclix, the average price paid for a game download is $1.79.

Little software companies do so well at dominating the market as they sell games and applications for under a dollar or for free.

However with the big software players finally realising the potential of the market, it appears the glory days for the small companies are finally over.

However, according to a recent survey by RBC/IQ ChangeWave, this is not the case. In fact, the results are completely opposite, revealing that almost every iPhone user is satisfied so far with their product.

The survey, which involved 200 participants, found that an astounding 99 percent of respondents were satisfied with the device and 82 percent said they were “very satisfied” with the 3GS service.

The research also found that while users were in love with their handsets, it is in fact the service and software providers they are unimpressed with.

There has been an ongoing argument by many market experts that the recent Apple backlash has evolved from issues completely out of the company’s hands. The survey results support this theory.

It was revealed that most of the customers felt they were being charged a hefty fee for a mediocre service that did not satisfy user’s needs.

When asked what they disliked about the iPhone, 55 percent of respondents said the service providers. 41 percent reported the iPhone 3GS’s battery life was too short; and 8 percent complained that their employer’s IT department didn’t support the device.

So far, the iPhone 3GS has achieved better than the last two versions of the iPhone, which earned favorable reviews from only 73 percent of those surveyed.

With high-speed connectivity, easy-to-use imaging and media features, the easy-to-use touch screen interface handset utilises a large 3.5-inch colour screen with 16-bit colour support and a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. It weighs only 133 grams and has sleek dimensions of 114.4 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm. In terms of software, it has an accelerometer sensor for auto-rotating screen control, a multi-touch input method and an ambient light sensor. The touch screen features a full QWERTY keyboard for simple text input, message writing and reading emails without hassles.

Prospective buyers have two iPhone models to choose from in terms of internal memory: an 8 GB version in a glossy black casing or a 16 GB version in either white or black casing. Users are invited to store numerous multimedia files including images, videos, songs and more in the internal memory. The 2 mega pixels camera delivers sharp, high resolution still pictures and support easy-to use photo settings and features, allowing users to manipulate their images to get the best possible effect.

With 3G HSDPA technology, users can experience high speed 3G connectivity, super-fast Internet access and even multitasking capabilities such as surfing the net during a phone call. Apart from looking stylish and sleek, the stunning device also comes with high-speed data transfer technology (GPRS and EDGE), users can enjoy wireless and fast transfer rates between their PC or Mac and handset. The integrated WiFi support allows users to gain wireless connections to the internet using a local WiFi connection or a wireless hotspot so owners can always tap in to the networks around you. The handset has its own iPhone operating system meaning users can buy and download iPhone applications made by programmers across the world.

The phone carries a standard Li-Ion battery that gives it approximately 300 hours of standby time or 10 hours of talk time. Communicating and enjoying multimedia is the crux of the Apple iPhone 3G and with its feature-packed internals, newer models will only be more impressive.