Mark Androvich 22:56 (BST)
05/06/2008

Forbes is anticipating that Apple will launch the long-promised App Store feature next week, allowing outside developers to sell iPhone and iPod Touch applications.

If so, Forbes says, Apple could be a new and dangerous foe for Nintendo's DS handheld.

The article notes that developers continue to create ever more sophisticated games for Nintendo's four year-old handheld, and that Apple has struggled with gaming on the Mac. Nevertheless, the author thinks Apple may be a threat due to the fact that the company's products have both a touch-screen interface and motion sensing accelerometers - features which have been popular separately with the DS and the Wii.

In addition, the ability to download software into the iPhone wirelessly may be a selling point for developers.

Apple introduced an iPhone development kit earlier this year, showing versions of Super Monkey Ball and Spore running on the device during a demonstration of the technology.

Only time will tell if the multi-touch screen and accelerometers, third party support and a huge installed base will make gaming a success on Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch - but even so, the company is unlikely to significantly threaten Nintendo any time soon. After all, Sony's PSP - which offers multimedia and phone capabilities similar to Apple's products - hasn't caught up with sales of the DS in the three years that it has been on the market.

Click here for an in-depth analysis of Apple's games service.