Apple can continue to gloat about the unprecedented successes the iPhone has had, because the latest Consumer Reports ratings for smartphones show the 3GS at the top of the pack. Electronista reports that Consumer Reports is changing their criteria to adapt to the influx of touchscreen phones on the market. To do this, they are increasing emphasis on display, UI, ease of navigation, and multimedia support, while decreasing the emphasis on traditional (old-school) phone features, like talk time and call quality. As a result, the strengths of the iPhone are maximized, while the drawbacks that critics have pointed out are minimized.

Topping the Consumer Reports ratings are always a big deal, so we suppose a congratulations is in order to Apple. But at the same time, it’s not like they needed more PR.