Apple has already been working hard to get mobile publishers to sign up to bring their games to iPhone, but since the launch of its 3G iPhone last night, industry executives have been reiterating their support for the device to PG.biz.

"Apple has a history of watershed events, but I think the 3G iPhone will turn out to be the big one," says Trip Hawkins of Digital Chocolate. "This is more than a big event or a mere device, it is a fundamental turning point, and the beginning of a huge trend that many others will follow."

Glu is a confirmed iPhone developer, and according to boss Greg Ballard, the publisher's internal teams have been impressed with the device and its software development kit.

"The Apple SDK makes taking content to iPhone quick and easy," he says. "The tools have provided our development teams vast headroom to make our mobile applications richer and deeper, which will ultimately benefit iPhone owners."

Ballard is also enthusiastic about making the most of the iPhone's feature set, including its faster data speeds.

"Better networks mean people can connect more easily and download more content faster," he says. "Incorporating the aaccelerometer and touch-screen functionality into games allows developers to create deeper, more engaging games with new mechanics and features, which is really exciting to us."

Both Hawkins and Ballard are impressed by Apple's plans for the iPhone App Store, which will sell games both through iTunes and directly on iPhone handsets.

"Apple has already proven that if you offer the public a superior content experience, and explain it to them, they will consume much more content," says Hawkins. "And Apple is a trusted merchant that more than 100 million consumers already do business with."

Ballard agrees: "By giving consumers a familiar environment to discover and download games, Apple is addressing head-on one of the key obstacles the mobile games industry has faced."