Is the iPhone really just a games console that makes calls?

By Davey Winder
Wednesday, 03 December 2008 20:10

Market

What's on your iPhone? The Apple iPhone App Store has released the top 10 applications, paid for and free, that iPhone users have downloaded during 2008. The results could come as something of a surprise.

You can be sure that the Opera browser will not be on the list, seeing as Apple has effectively banned it from the iPhone. But has the stunning iPhone version of Google Earth made it? Or maybe one of the many utilities to enhance the phone calling functionality?

Wishful thinking, I fear. Maybe those virtual pints of beer that have been at the heart of an ongoing legal battle? Or even Obama 08, the Obama Election Tool, could have squeezed out enough votes to keep the games from the charts?

Hopefully the Theremin simulator nor too many of its time-wasting ilk will feature heavily in the top ten list, although I have to say I am not too convinced that this will be the case given that for many people the iPhone is nothing more than a Nintendo DS for yuppies.

So, of the 10,000 or so applications now available for the iPhone, which ones proved just too tempting to resist this year? Let's start with the ones that cost nothing shall we?

At number one it's Pandora Radio, followed by Facebook and Tap Tap Revenge. At number four we have Shazam, with Labyrinth (Lite Edition) at number five and Remote at six.

Bringing up the rear of the free top 10 are Google Earth, Lightsabre Unleashed, AIM and Urbanspoon. Not as many games as one might expect.

But what of the commercial applications that cost real money? Things are oddly different in this world, where games rule the roost. At number one it is Koi Pond, followed by Texas Hold 'Em, Moto Chaser, Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, Super Monkey Ball and Cro-Mag Rally.

The back half of the paid for top ten has Enigmo, Pocket Guitar, Recorder and finally that virtual pint, iBeer, taking 10th position. Proof that games developers know that iPhone users are prepared to pay good money for their software, so why give it away?

All of which suggests to me that, yes, the iPhone is really just a portable games console that happens to make phone calls as well.