I think its pretty well suited too, I cant think of a single thing that was announced and sold this year that did near as well as the iPhone did. The article starts by stating most of the arguments you might pose against the iPhone winning such an award, all the downsides, of the iPhone basically.

Then they get to the real meat and potatoes, why it did win the award, and there are 5 very thought out reasons. First, “The iPhone is pretty,” and it really is, I actually kind of like the look of my Touch better, but the iPhone is pretty too.

Second, “It’s touchy-feely,” this is a reference to the fact that you have to use your hands and fingers to do stuff with it, you hand someone who has never even heard of such a concept and iPhone and then slowly show them how they use it, and they will still be amazed, some of use who have used the Touch or iPhone for too long won’t be easily impressed, but just about anyone else would be. Third, “It will make other phones better,” the big thing behind this point is the fact that Apple’s contract allows Apple to maintain full control over the software on their device, instead of the carrier hobbling the manufacturer’s control, now other companies are pushing for the same rights, which should be a start for better phones.

Fourth, “It’s not a phone, it’s a platform,” really there are a couple of platforms built into the iPhone, the first is the integration of OSX into handheld devices, the second is the genius use of the multi-touch technology, either way, I expect great things to come from both. Fifth, last but not least “It is but the ghost of iPhones yet to come,” probably the best statement so far, the author points out how ancient the first iPod looks now, and then instructs you to imagine a device that will make the iPhone look like that and the fact that you can expect it in a few years, and chances are, if Apple keeps up on the path they are on, we probably will.

Invention Of the Year: The iPhone [via Time]