iPhone No Longer "Mobile", Big Enough to be Own Gaming Platform Now

I already mentioned I'm on my way to GDC 2010 to cover the iPhone panel, and that iPhone gaming is getting big, so it's interesting to see CNET reenforce just how big it's getting:

strikingly absent among those 18 [Mobile Gaming] panels are any that deal with game development specifically for the iPhone. And why? Because for the first time, the GDC advisory board decided that Apple's smartphone is an important enough platform to warrant its own summit. And it filled quickly.

Simon Jeffrey, vice president of social applications for leading iPhone game developer Ngmoco says:

"The iPhone is now recognized as a leading platform that's independent from the mobile. People are specifically naming the iPhone as a threat to their businesses. Nintendo said the iPhone is taking customers away from [its popular] DS handhelds."

The cost of entry is lower than Microsoft or Nintendo, and it's getting more and more popular while still maintaining its cool factor.

While Android and Windows Phone 7 Series will bring the competition (and perhaps Palm as well), right now the iPhone is riding high on its head start.

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.