The Nokia N97 is the latest flagship model the Finnish mobile phone maker has delivered to the market, and, though it hasn't been on the shelves for too long, it is expected to perform better than other high-end devices available. According to Mike Loughran, general manager for Nokia UK, the company's Nseries phone can even take on the iPhone 3GS, the latest iteration of Apple's mobile device.

“The new iPhone is an evolution rather than a revolution and for people trying to decide whether to get a Nokia N97 or an iPhone, it comes down to a decision on performance and value for money… The new iPhone seems to have the same design and colour, upgrading from a sub-standard two-megapixel camera to a still low 3.2-megapixel camera, and is probably a disappointment for many people given the high tariff and lifetime ownership costs,” is what Loughran stated recently, as reported by mobiletoday.

For what it's worth, there are indeed some areas in which Nokia's handset seems to do better than the hot Apple device. For instance, the N97 comes to the market with a 5.0-megapixel photo snapper that features Carl Zeiss Optics, 4x digital zoom, Auto Focus, Self Timer, Sequence Mode, Video Recording and Dual LED flash, as well as with a secondary camera, while the iPhone 3GS only packs a 3.2-megapixel camera.

Other features, like the sliding QWERTY keyboard or the removable battery, as well as its large touchscreen display and the enhanced connectivity options, might also attract users on Nokia N97's side. Even so, bringing down the iPhone won't be an easy task for the Finnish device. The Apple phone has seen great traction on the market since it was launched, and is reported to be the best-selling iPhone until now, while the N97 has seen good sales during the first two weeks of availability, though not at the same level.