I think this thing is basically unplayable. There actually is an app that allows somewhat free-form 3d board rotation & tilting: Gameloft's Chess Classics. But I'm not wild about that one, either. :)
Long live ChessGenius!
3-D Chess by Orient Maple
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3-D Chess Free (links opens iTunes) has just been released to the iPhone by OrientMaple.com. It bills itself as "The first ever meaningful three-dimensional chess application in the history on iPhone [sic]". There is a paid version for only $0.99 that adds a the ability to resume a game, undo a move and offers 3 levels of difficulty.
Personally, I find this application to be a gimmick. The pieces are red and blue, not white and black which adds some confusion (at least to me). The pieces are also a medieval theme which means that they look non-standard. Fortunately, when you select a piece, the traditional Staunton silhouette will appear above the playing field. You only have the choice of two static views. Head on (as you would normally play) or a side view. You cannot rotate the board at all.
Since this is more of a fun app than a serious chess players companion, there is no ability to analyse a position, export a position or do any analysis. I don't look down on this application for it, since that's not it's purpose. I'm a terrible judge of AI strength since I'm such a poor player to begin with. I'll let the stronger players of the group judge the AI strength. All in all, This seems to be a trinket application and might be amusing for a very casual player who likes 3-D things for the sake of 3-D. Three dimensional chess might have a place on the iPhone, however I think a better implementation can be done. If Brothers in Arms can be ported to the iPhone, then a good 3-D chess set with free camera rotation shouldn't be impossible.
If you try it out or purchase the full version, post your thoughts here!