Apple’s latest iPhone could be just five weeks away from being unveiled after the date of the firm’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) was announced.

Taking place in San Francisco on June 7th, the conference could see Steve Jobs unwrap the new iPhone, believed to be called the 4G.

Although the phone has not been mentioned by Apple in its pre-exhibit talks, it has revealed that the 4.0 operating system will take up plenty of time during the five-day event.

Scott Forstall, senior vice president of iPhone software, said: “This year’s WWDC offers developers in-depth sessions and hands-on working labs to learn more about iPhone OS 4.0, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system.”

He added that the event will give developers the chance to work alongside Apple engineers and interface designers, which could benefit people looking to download applications for the device in the near future.

PocketGamer said that it had originally pencilled in the end of June for the 4G’s debut, however, Apple’s announcement suggests that more will be known about the handset sooner than we think.

One of console gaming’s classic titles has arrived in the App Store for iPhone users to download.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will take gamers back to a time when the Sega Mega Drive and Game Gear were kings, with users having to defeat Dr Eggman and his army of critters.

Back in 2D, after recent next-generation forays into 3D, Sonic fans will guide their favourite hedgehog through numerous levels, collecting gold rings at ultra-fast speeds.

iPhone gamers will control the character using two on-screen discs, with a D-pad on the left and a jump button on the right.

So far, reviews of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 have been positive, with one gamer describing it as “brilliant”.

Sega has also made great strides in bringing some classic console titles to the Apple handheld device, with the original Sonic available to download alongside Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, Columns, Super Monkey Ball and Super Monkey Ball 2.

The popularity of Opera’s new iPhone internet browser has been highlighted after it was downloaded over a million times within the first 24 hours of its launch.

Having taken over three weeks for Apple to approve the programme for release in its App Store, the application was downloaded by 1,023,380 people, ensuring that it took its place at the top of the download chart.

“An app has to be written especially for a particular phone to offer a high-quality experience. On many mobiles the browser provided with the phone is the only choice someone has,” said Forrester analyst Ian Fogg.

First demonstrated at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, iPhone fans were told how the Opera browser can load web pages six times faster than the pre-packaged Safari programme, as it uses a server-side rendering process to compress web data.

Other favourites unveiled in the App Store last week included the handheld version of Football Manager, which gives people an opportunity to take their favourite side to glory.

The approval of a rival internet browsing application for Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch could signal a sea change in the firm’s approach to third-party application developers, according to an expert.

Joe Minihane, blogging for Top10.com, said that the confirmation that Opera will be released to iPhone handset users could see other developers attempt to bring out applications to improve the device.

"Unlike Safari, Opera compresses web pages on its own servers, meaning it can deliver full pages quicker than Apple’s own browser," he stated.

Mr Minihane stated that Opera is ideal for EDGE-based, 2G phones, which shows that Apple is trying to give something back to iPhone owners with older models.

The expert also stated that the approval of Opera could signal that Apple has another browser up its sleeve, with Safari set to undergo a "much-needed" upgrade when the next iPhone hits the shelves.

Furthermore, Skyfire, another mobile browser developer, has confirmed that it wishes to release its own programme for the iDevices.

Football fans are set to get their hands on one of the sport’s most popular titles, which will now be available in handheld format.

Coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch today (April 13th), Football Manager Handheld will allow gamers to take their favourite team to domestic and European glory from the convenience of the office, bus or train.

Sega has kept the title under wraps recently, but fans of the PC version will now be able to get their fix from one of the most addictive games out there.

Gamers can manage in any one of 34 leagues, from 11 different countries, with a database of over 20,000 players.

The classic Football Manager top-down view is also back, showing fans how the game is panning out and how their tactics have affected the match.

It is not only possible for managers to dabble in the transfer market, but to approach the board for extra funds, apply pressure to under-performing players and schedule annual holidays.

The Apple iPhone 3GS will become even better when a new operating system for the handset is released this summer.

Last week, chief executive of the firm Steve Jobs announced that the 4.0 version of its operating software will allow users to multitask with third party applications and add folders for improved organisation, along with more than 100 other new features.

James Zielinski, co-founder of Rightmobilephone.co.uk, said that the new system will make the iPhone experience more complete.

“Essentially Apple has smoothed off those rough edges by making the software more organised and able to flow from task to task. Aside from multitask features, the new update brings lots more features, including better organisation with folders and threaded emails,” he added.

At the unveiling conference, Mr Jobs also said that there will be an iPhone version of its iBooks reader, which was recently released for the iPad device which is now available in the US.

People weighing up whether to purchase an iPhone 3GS have been told that a new operating system update will allow users to carry out multitasking functions.

Releasing in the summer, the iPhone 4.0 OS will let users run more than one programme at a time on their handset, negating the need to return to the homepage every time they want to start a new task.

It means that gamers will now be able to listen to their favourite music while playing the latest titles.

Furthermore, users will not have to cancel a Skype phone call every time they want to look for directions, while internet calls can also now be received while a person surfs the web at the same time.

A whole host of other updates will also be included, with iPhone owners now able to land multiple email accounts into one inbox on their handset.

The new update follows recent rumours that the next iPhone will use multitasking and a second front-facing camera for video calling.