At one time, the iPhone held that distinction more or less to itself. But particularly with the advent of online application stores for other smartphone applications, the iPhone now faces more and more competition -- among app developers along with consumers -- from Google's Android, Palm Pre, Microsoft's Windows Mobile, and other rivals.

If you haven't heard about it yet, Apple's new iPhone feature lets users of free apps upgrade to expanded capabilities from ; a visit to the online Apple App Store is no longer needed.

Some are arguing that this approach will stop interlopers from stealing apps by involving servers on both the Apple and third-party developer sides, thereby making developers more aware of who is using their software and how. Although others counter that a truly determined and crafty thief can steal an app anyway, just about everyone seems to acknowledge that the in-app feature will at least help to

There's much more agreement around the notion that the in-app upgrades will save time and resources for developers by of creating free "lite" and non-free "full" editions of the same software program.

If either of these possible benefits for developers actually pans out, iPhone users could win, too, by continuing to be the first to get interesting new software apps.