It's my opinion that Nintendo's biggest competitor in the handheld market is not Sony with the PSP, it's Apple and their versatile iPhone. The iPhone is hip, has lots of cheap or free games, and most importantly, it's also a cell phone and an iPod. The best gaming device is the one you have with you, and the iPhone is quickly becoming ubiquitous.

We recently asked Andrew Podolsky, Editor-In-Chief over at the iPhone focused site Slide To Play (and one of the original members of the Ripten team), if he thought the Apple iPhone had enough gaming power to give a handheld like the 3DS a run for its money. Here's what he had to say:

    The iPhone is definitely competitive with the current generation of Sony and Nintendo handhelds. It's an always-online device with a great touchscreen and built-in tilt controls, plus a library of games that is ten times the amount available on the PSP and DS combined.

    The next generation of iPhone is certainly pushing boundaries with a sharper display, a built-in gyroscope for better tilt control, and consumer features like an HD video camera and video chat. But what we saw at E3 form Nintendo got us talking their 3D screen is unlike anything we expect to see from Apple anytime soon.

Andrew went on to say that while the new DS's 3D screen, was incredible, he wasn't sure it would fundamentally change the way we play games, adding that it seemed more like a gimmick. He then xplained his reasoning:

and I'm not just saying that because I'm pro-Apple. Just like how the 3D effect doesn't make movies fundamentally better, 3D won't necessarily make games better either. You need the full talent of a company like Nintendo and their incredible lineup of first-party properties to make the games people want to buy.

But that's not to say that the iPhone doesn't have it's own share of talented supporters standing by with creative games of their own.

third-parties like EA, Capcom, Konami, Activision, Namco, Ubisoft, and many more will develop games that take advantage of the iPhone's best features. said Andrew. It's a three-way race, and it's fascinating to watch.

With all of this in mind, it's my belief that in order for the 3DS to compete with the iPhone, Nintendo will not only have to deliver an exceptional mobile gaming experience, they'll also have to price it right. And considering the cheapest iPhone on the market is $199.99, my guess is that Nintendo will price their newest handheld to match, or beat it.

Some may argue that the iPhone is not 3D capable, and they'd be correct. However, what the iPhone lacks in trendy of-the-moment technology, it more than makes up for with accessibility, versatility, and an affordable gaming library that continues to grow every day.