The iPhone 3G S was one of the biggest gadget launches of the year when it hit store shelves last month. Other notable launches during the month included the Palm Pre, hyped as one of the best competitors to the iPhone.

Consumer Reports has released its top smartphone rankings reports InformationWeek and the ever popular iPhone 3G S has taken the top spot in the rankings. Consumer Reports does point out that while the iPhone 3G S has taken the top spot; the rankings were very close with the Palm Pre and the Blackberry Storm on its heels.

Consumer Reports ranks the iPhone 3GS tops based on what it calls "top-notch" multimedia navigation, web browsing, and battery life. The publication also reports that the 3G S excels in display quality. The Pre on the other hand was bolstered in the rankings with superior multitasking, while the Storm bested the iPhone in messaging.

Consumer Reports also changed its ranking criteria with the new smartphone rankings release. The change in scoring means that some smartphones like the Blackjack II from Samsung and the Pearl Flip from Blackberry dropped in ranking while the iPhone 3G rose in the ranks.