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The iPhone, in contrast, is currently an O2 exclusive, and the network isn’t budging an inch on pricing: the lowest tariff that bundles the 16GB version for free adds up to more than £1,300 over the minimum 18-month subscription term. With a new version of the phone looking likely to be on sale in time for Christmas, and O2 currently offering no upgrade package for old iPhone users, that’s an awful lot of money for a handset that might be obsolete six months into a contract.

Palm, meanwhile, must have thought it had secured a compelling price in the US for the Pre, at just $200 (£122). But Apple stole Palm’s thunder on Monday by announcing the existing iPhone 3G would still be sold in the US — for just $99 (£60). It was a cruel blow to Palm, though neither phone manufacturer has yet confirmed UK pricing.

So if you’re about to join the smartphone set, which phone should you go for? The Nokia N97 is a well-designed, capable handset with the best camera of the three, an original design and strong list of features, and the Palm scores top marks for ease of use, especially its keyboard.

The iPhone’s new hardware and software are only incremental improvements, and it’s obvious this is the bare minimum Apple could get away with while still describing the 3G S as a major upgrade. The App Store’s range opens up a whole world of potential, though, and lets you get more out of the iPhone than you can from any rival. The iPhone can do so much more than the others, and this growing versatility continues to make it the most irresistible smartphone on the market.

APPLE iPHONE 3G S

Available: June 19

Pay-as-you-go price: £440 (16GB), £538 (32GB)

Display: 3.5in touchscreen

Camera: 3Mp, autofocus/tap to focus, video at 30fps

Talk time: 300min (3G), 720min (GSM)

Killer feature: Access to 50,000 downloadable apps from the App Store

Verdict: Just enough tweaks to keep the handset on top

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