The iPhone that turns into a gun

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Software available free from Apple's online store allows the devices to emit a loud gunshot sound when the owner points it and shakes it. The company behind the game claims it means players can "experience the sweet release you can only get from firing a finely crafted firearm".

Several different guns are available, from revolvers to shotguns, including a "gangsta edition" where the serial numbers have been filed off. Today groups combating crime and video violence called for it to be withdrawn immediately. They accused Apple of glamorising gun crime.

Claudia Webbe, who chairs an independent advisory group at Operation Trident, which tackles gun crime in London, said: "This is just another sign of businesses putting profits before responsibility.

"This is hugely irresponsible in a climate when we are trying to get guns off the streets.

"I am stunned this game should ever have been allowed to have been made. We have spent years trying to get imitation guns out of shops and this sort of product undermines that effort."

John Beyer of mediawatch UK, which has campaigned against video game violence, added: "In view of recent events in Northern Ireland and elsewhere, I think anything that glamorises guns and shooting is in extremely poor taste.

"I would hope that whoever is responsible for this would withdraw it immediately."

Jean-Paul Florencio of French software firm Damabia, which makes one of the virtual guns, called Bang Bang, said in a statement on the firm's website: "What better fun can you have than to shoot all your friends, and not hurt them?"

However, the firm did not respond to the allegations that it is glamorising gun crime. Apple also refused to comment on the applications, or withdraw them from sale.

Apple was last year forced to withdraw a "Slasher" game which brought up the picture of a blade on the user's handset and played the music from movie Psycho when the owner mimicked a stabbing motion.

It was selling for 59p in the entertainment section of Apple's iPhone application store.