Apple Inc's iPhone 3GS to debut 19 June

Apple Inc's iPhone has been a smash hit, that has redefined the smart-phone market and created a new hand-held computing platform attracting over 50,000 third-party apps or software programmes in about a year.

Since June 2007 when the it was launched, the phone along with its identical sibling, the iPod Touch has notched combined sales of 40 million units.

But the iPhone now has competition from entrenched smart-phone makers, most notably form Palm's impressive new offering Pre, which has sold an estimated 100,000 or more units since its launch on 6 June (See: The New Palm Pre)

But Apple is by no means resting on its laurels, it is moving and has lined up two new products to consolidate its position in the new generation of hand-held computers.

One of the new offerings is a refreshed model of the iPhone called the iPhone 3GS which has the same looks but is faster, has more memory, higher battery life and some new features to boot including video recording and a better camera for still photos.

The other product is the OS 3.0, which is the third version of the iPhone's operating system. It comes with the 3G S and can also be installed on all prior iPhones and Touches. It features a longer list of added features, some innovative and some long overdue catch-ups to other phones. These include such widely requested capabilities as cut, copy and paste systemwide searching a wider virtual keyboard; and a feature called MMS that enables photos and videos to be directly sent to other phones without email.