Since Apple Inc. (AAPL) unleashed the iPhone on the world back in 2007 the company has sold millions of the device and created a massive market for iPhone apps. Developers have invested a lot of time and money in creating apps for the popular iPhone, but have been frustrated by the lack of guidelines and communication with Apple.

Developers have been begging for more insight into the approval process, and today Apple gave them what they wanted by releasing the guidelines it uses to review submitted apps.

This summer, Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s iPhone and iPad are going to have a feature that iPhone users have been dying to see since the phone hit the market in 2007... the ability to multitask.

The iPhone took the world by storm when it was released, and each time Apple releases a new model of the popular smart phone consumers line up and wait for hours, and in some cases days, to get their hands on the new Apple iPhone. While the phone is one of the most popular phones on the market today, there are a couple of issues with them, and the inability to multitask ranks up at the top of list of features that iPhone users have wanted.

Want your friend to try the "I Am T-Pain" iPhone app but they won't spring for the $2.99? Treat them to it. Apple's (AAPL) iTunes store now allows users to gift specific apps to their friends and family (provided they have iPhones or iTouches, of course). This was a natural step, as iTunes has allowed music fans to give songs and albums for years.

The logistics of the new program work as follows: go into iTunes, navigate to the desired app, click the drop-down button, and select "Gift This App." Once you enter the necessary information, the recipient receives an email notifying them of their gift. This feature is only available through iTunes software currently, but there are likely plans in play to bring it to the iPhone down the road.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) has seen massive negative publicity come in from earlier in the summer to know in regards to its policies on the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone it currently has an exclusive on. After all, that $99 or $199 purchase was not giving customers complete control over over the freedom to do what they wanted with those precious iPhones.

When the AT&T/Google/Apple situation flared up recently, it caused the microscope on AT&T's strict controls on the iPhone to become even more intense.

A new stock ticker tool for the Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone may not have you hoping for a plunge, but at least it takes the sting out a little bit. This new application pairs strippers with tickers, and as the numbers tick down, items of clothing find their way to the floor. There's a different girl for each of the major indices, providing a bit of spice to international financial markets. So, whether you follow the DAX or the Dow, you won't be the only person losing his shirt when the market tanks.

Doubtless, some have no interest in watching svelte stripping women illustrate their loss of fortune. For this crowd, male strippers are available. Whether you lean toward boys or girls, whatever your sex and orientation, sometimes a helpful hottie is exactly what you need to soothe your spirit.

By 2013, more than $4 billion will be spent on smartphone applications, according to a new study by the Yankee Group ... and the estimate is said to be conservative. With the average owner of one of these devices downloading around 20 applications a year, it's obvious that this market is getting ready to pop. Currently, only $343 million is spent in this space.

An increase in the number of smartphone applications available -- for Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone, Reasearch in Motion's (NASDAQ: RIMM) Blackberry, and Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android -- and rising prices for these applications will push the total size of this market higher.

Could this be the next logical step in the video war between Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX)?

A report contends that Netflix will soon offer its "Watch Instantly" video-streaming feature for the iPhone and the iPod Touch, as well as the Nintendo Wii gaming console. Netflix already allows subscribers to manage their movie queue and search for movies via their iPhones, so watching their choices on the smartphone would be the next logical step.