"Apple is the first to master a pair of tricks that have made Nintendo's latest products so compelling—a touch-screen interface and the ability to pick up on motion," Caulfield wrote. "Apple has crammed both capabilities into its iPhone and iPod Touch."

The editorial goes on to suggest that the ability to wirelessly purchase and download software for the iPhone via its App Store interface, coming in a software update next week, will further strengthen the device as a handheld gaming platform.

The 8GB and 16GB versions of the iPhone retail for $399 and $499, respectively, compared against a $130 price point for the Nintendo DS.

iPhone ports of EA's life-sim Spore and Sega's Super Monkey Ball were announced last March, and several independently developed games and programs have since surfaced for use on Apple's gadget.

While several developers such as John Carmack have expressed interest in the iPhone, the pledged support does not currently rival the lineup of third party developers and publishers actively producing titles for the Nintendo DS, which sold over 70 million units worldwide since it launched in 2004.

Caulfield concluded, "Looks like the handheld gaming business, so long dominated by Nintendo, could be about to undergo a little evolution too."

It is strongly believed that Apple will reveal a new iteration of the iPhone next week, rumored to incorporate improved network functionality and several new features. Thanks to iPhoneblog for the art.