Though it was not initially intended for gaming, the iPhone has gotten a significant chunk of the casual gaming crowd to switch over to Apple’s side of the revenue pie. Why has it become such a popular gaming device? Well for starter, there are many casual game apps readily available in the Apple App Store.

Anyone can just switch games on the fly as long as they have the credits to buy it. Games are cheaper too, as compared to their Nintendo DS or Sony PSP counterparts. And lastly, the iPhone has more uses than a dedicated portable gaming device, which makes it all the more appealing to the casual crowd.

Since the iPhone 4 was announced, people have speculated on its various on board technologies. The gaming community held its breath as Apple unveiled a control sensor that could significantly change gaming on the go.

Much like the Wii Motion Plus’ control sensor, the new iPhone will sport a three axis gyroscope that will work hand in hand with the existing accelerometer on the device. This will allow for precision based controls that need feedback such as the rate of rotation, angular velocity and user acceleration. Potentially it could be used for driving simulation games or even first person shooters.

The iPhone 4 will be the missing link between the Wii Motion Plus that has only a tuning fork gyroscope (two axis) and the Playstation 3’s Sixaxis or Dual Shock 3 motion controls.

Gaming on the iPhone may just affect the existing market in a big way. While the Nintendo DS attracts kids of all ages, the iPhone has a bigger reach and a better appeal to those who really have the money to spend. That could mean that portable gaming will move from the niche crowd to the mainstream with the inclusion of connectivity elements. Microsoft may be the next big player with their upcoming Windows Phone 7.

The industry is up in arms with the raid of REACT operatives on the home of Jason Chen –the now famous Gizmodo tech blogger who was in possession of the prototype Apple iPhone device. Many believe that there should have never been a raid in the first place. Beyond the raid, many are also questioning Apple’s motives; while there is sufficient reason to protect the technology behind their latest product, it does not make their urgent response to the situation easier to understand.

It has been recently revealed that the Apple, and in particular, Steve Jobs, has been in contact with Brian Lam, the editor for Gizmodo. It appears that the two professionals had a very civil exchange regarding Apple’s need for the prototype to be returned and for Gizmodo to be able to receive a confirmation from Apple that the device is indeed an authentic iPhone prototype.

Steve Jobs however, was concerned about another important factor –current iPhone sales.

Apple’s stand on the matter is that they would lose iPhone sales once details about the next generation device have been revealed. This is because the public would start seeing the iPhone 3G and 3Gs as part of an older generation of devices. With the competition between the iPhone and the Android being at a very crucial point, Apple does not want to lose the position of being on the high ground. The current iPhone has been on top of the market for over two years now, and at this point, it is barely holding its own against devices such as the Desire and the Nexus One.

Apple has yet to confirm that the prototype device is indeed a next generation iPhone, but they have confirmed that they are the rightful owners of the device –in many ways, this is already the confirmation that Gizmodo needs.

If you are using the very first edition of the Apple iPhone, then you might have already caught wind of the news that Apple will stop supporting the old handset after this latest update. The word comes straight from Steve Jobs as he muttered a simple “sorry, no” to a question regarding if Apple would be continuing its support for the older smart phone.

In any case, the original iPhone has been on the lifeline long enough and people still using the device should let it retire peacefully. It has been over two years and smart phones from other manufacturers would have already met their respective ends at a much earlier time (a testament to the longevity of the iPhone series).

Many users feel that the decision to finally let go of the first generation iPhone is a good move by Apple, whom they feel has been generous enough to stand by the device for so long when other companies would not have.

This also means that it is time for iPhone users to start preparing for the big migration to the 4G handset. The iPhone 3G version will not be getting much support later on and with many of the new OS’ features hinging on the additional hardware by the 4G device, it would be best for users to starting synching their files for the move.

The iPhone 4G launch date has yet to be officially stated but many believe that the device will be launching sometime later this year. With the Windows Phone 7 mobile platform also coming out, it is likely that Apple will be holding its own major launch event in order to keep the market interest on the Apple product line.

Read more about the original first generation iPhone no longer being supported at Stuff TV.

The Apple iPad touch screen tablet is not yet out but we are already finding ourselves swamped with rumors and speculations about the upcoming iPhone 4G. While a tablet device is a new and curious thing, it seems like people still prefer their smart phones far more.

Anyway, the Apple iPhone 4G has been in the rumor mill for quite some time now and it has generated quite a buzz over the past few months. Here’s a quick summary of everything that we have found out so far.

First off, this device will be a touch screen smart phone with an HD capable screen. Obviously, the iPhone will have a capacitive touch screen; and while Apple has not exactly confirmed that the handset would indeed have HD quality resolution, it is expected as HD is quickly becoming the new standard for displays.

Next, the device is being rumored to have a removable battery. Now, while many of us would love to see this come to be, we would like to hold back any expectations until Apple proves this. This is because Apple has a habit of making closed devices and there is simply no reason to believe that they would change this practice for the iPhone 4G.

The touch sensitive casing on the other hand may sound pretty quirky, but this is one thing that we can probably count on Apple for. The company has led the way with touch screen technology with the previous iPhone, it makes perfect sense that they would want to develop something new to stay on top of the game. In any case, it would be fun being able to play a game where you will not have to obscure the view by tapping the screen.

Find out more about the various rumors and speculations regarding the Apple iPhone 4G at Tech Radar.