Pachter: Apple 2013 Console

[patsu]

Completely agree. I had a reply that turned into a mega rant in another thread but basically yes, two different target groups and thus I don't see why the "core" gaming/consoles will disappear or be taken over, unless that "core" moves to the mobile scene, which I have a hard time seeing...

Personally, I see it as a big change in gamer composition, population size and reach. ^_^
Whether core gaming consoles will disappear will depend on the vendors and game developers, not Apple.
The definition of core games may shift due to the composition change.

For the existing core gamers, I am more inclined to think "The more things change, the more they stay the same". But their gaming habit may change also as they grow up and become too busy. In this sense, the game developers are also evolving to follow their fans.

For me, I am very open to gaming on the Vita just because it's always with me and the experience is close enough now. I think some startups are creating web-based core games (yes, core games) too. Their are getting paid subscribers in no small numbers, and those folks play game and work on the same machine at the same time just because well... the web browser is always there for them to track their gaming progress, and participate.

 

[patsu]

IMO If we're looking 10 years in the future (possibly sooner) I think hardware A vs hardware B is an irrelevancy. It'll be about services and play anywhere.
Experience it on your tablet, your TV, your phone. When you move to a service based model it's all about keeping users engaged on your service regardless of where they are or what they are doing.
To get there IMO you have to give up ownership of the hardware platform, and even parts of the service where established entities exist already. No one is going to compete successfully directly with twitter or facebook at this point, no one wants to rebuild their social network, the cost of change is too high.
I actually think that Amazon, Facebook and Google (to a lesser extent) are in a better position to compete in this space than Apple, though IOS dominance may give them an edge in the short term.

Apple just want to serve their customers well. If their customers want gaming, Apple will find their own way to satisfy these people. As long as they have a sizable and loyal userbase, they will remain a force to be reckoned with.

They are heavily invested in network operations and hardware ops as of late 2011. They seem to have an ambitious online plan.

For the moment, the Apple Store, iTunes Store, the AppStore, and the iCloud are industry leading (or among the top dogs).

e.g., In November 2011...

Apple Has More Online Shoppers Than Walmart
http://adage.com/article/digital/apple-online-shoppers-walmart/231740/

In fact, Apple is the only retailer other than Amazon and eBay in the top 15 most-visited websites in the U.S. in November, according to ComScore.

How is it possible that the technology maker can trump the world's-largest retailer online? Because of iTunes. The digital-content store made up about 30% of Apple's more than 79 million in U.S. unique visitors last month. Apple gets almost as many web visitors as the largest newspaper site, that of The New York Times.

Huge iTunes traffic is good news for publishers looking to sell their products online. Digital content, which includes books, music and TV shows, is the fastest-growing e-commerce category by sales this holiday shopping season, ComScore has found. Overall e-commerce sales are up about 15% from last year, but digital-content sales growth is double that.

...

Apple was the No. 13 web property ranked by U.S. unique visitors in November. Amazon is the biggest retailer by this measure, at No. 5. Ebay ranks No. 15, and Walmart No. 18.

EDIT: Here you go...

Apple touts 85 million iCloud customers, sets service as strategy for next decade
http://www.imore.com/2012/01/24/app...loud-customers-sets-strategy-for-next-decade/

If I remember correctly, the iCloud was only about 3 months old (released in October 2011), when it hits 85 million customers.

EDIT 2: Ok, confirmed:

I think Peter shared earlier the number of customers that had signed up for iCloud, and it’s already over 85 million, so it’s incredible that this has happened in just a few months’ period of time. We’re thrilled with it, and the response from customers has been incredible. It’s solved a lot of problems that customers were having and made their lives much much easier. It was a fundamental shift recognizing that people had numerous devices and they wanted the bulk of their content in the cloud and easily accessible from all of their devices, and you know, I think we’re seeing the response from that. With 85 million customers in just three months, it is a very very important part — it’s not just a product, it’s a strategy for the next decade.

 

[joker454]

The definition of core games may shift due to the composition change.

What is a core gamer today anyways? Back in the day they were on the cutting edge, today they are happily playing on archaic 7 year old hardware. I'd argue that the definition of "core gamer" has already changed, they are transitioning to a new type of gamer.

For me, I am very open to gaming on the Vita just because it's always with me and the experience is close enough now.

And there it is Heck I was thinking 5 to 10 years our before consoles are obsolete, maybe it will happen sooner. To you Vita has reached close enough, and Vita hardware will be eclipsed in no time by tablets or phones simply because economies of scale work in tablet/phone favor. The "close enough" mark will be in more peoples range as the years pass by, then Apple will be in an incredible position assuming they leverage it, as will Windows 8 devices which are on the same path. There's a reason Epic is trying to establish themselves as the defacto tech on iOS, and I bet Win8 as well even if they can't talk about it now.

 

[patsu]

What is a core gamer today anyways? Back in the day they were on the cutting edge, today they are happily playing on archaic 7 year old hardware. I'd argue that the definition of "core gamer" has already changed, they are transitioning to a new type of gamer.

They have always played on fixed platform consoles and gaming PCs regardless of equipment age. Powerful or new hardware may not define core gamers. They may enjoy playing old PS1, Sega, PCEngine games on new and old hardware.

I think it's the type of games people play, their gaming habit and demography that's evolving rapidly. Wii kind of started the trend.

And there it is Heck I was thinking 5 to 10 years our before consoles are obsolete, maybe it will happen sooner. To you Vita has reached close enough, and Vita hardware will be eclipsed in no time by tablets or phones simply because economies of scale work in tablet/phone favor. The "close enough" mark will be in more peoples range as the years pass by, then Apple will be in an incredible position assuming they leverage it, as will Windows 8 devices which are on the same path. There's a reason Epic is trying to establish themselves as the defacto tech on iOS, and I bet Win8 as well even if they can't talk about it now.

Vita is close enough because of the dual sticks, not just computing power. ^_^
For me, I actually enjoy the Vita Uncharted game more than the PS3 ones.

In due time, other computing devices will be more powerful, but it has always been the case with PC vs console lifecycle. The vendors can always adjust their platform strategy accordingly to survive in the new race. The thing is people like my wife didn't play PC games (except Halo and Warcraft), but she's really into iOS/Android games now. Some of my friends don't play video games at all, but they are also into iOS/Android games these days. In fact, they are the ones who roped my wife into the "race". From the look of it, they spend more time gaming than me !

 

[wco81]

I don't know, I've heard that FB could go the way of My Space. Google is trying very hard with their own social network and then you have limited successful social networks like Instagram and now that Drawing app.

As far as what defines core gamer, I'm not sure about the control scheme. At the start of this console generation, before shooters had taken hold on consoles, there was a question about using control pads instead of mouse and keyboard.

There's nothing that prevents a new control scheme or paradigm from taking hold. And it may not be physical controls but touchscreen controls. After all, why did control pads become accepted for FPS games? Because shooter games shipped in huge volumes on consoles compared to PCs. So the same scenario could take hold with some genres taking off on mobile devices.

When you look at little kids (under 10 years old, sometimes under 5 years old) growing up with iPod Touches, being handed their parents' iPhones and iPads, there could be generations for whom touch controls is the main way they play games.

 

[patsu]

Where did you hear FB will go the way of MySpace ? ^_^


I agree touch interface is getting entrenched among children. The UI is effective for first time users. Once they learned it, it's difficult to sway them away. It's not uncommon to find little kids swiping at every screen, thinking that they all behave like modern multitouch devices.

 

[patsu]

Draw Something hits 30 million downloads, overtakes Zynga on Facebook
http://www.tuaw.com/2012/03/17/draw-something-hits-30-million-downloads-overtakes-zynga-on-fac/

The iOS phenomenon Draw Something has continued to blow up on an unprecedented level, and it's now reached another crazy milestone: The app has garnered 30 million downloads already, despite only being available to the public for about five weeks. And that's not all: Facebook says the app has picked up 10.8 million daily active users, which tops Zynga's Words with Friends' more than 8 million, thus making it the most popular app on the big blue social network. Pretty astounding, considering that just a few days ago we reported that the app had reached 20 million downloads.

On a related news...

Zynga boss Pincus hints at Xbox deal
http://www.develop-online.net/news/40237/Zynga-boss-Pincus-hints-at-Xbox-deal

"Right now Zynga is building back-end technology so that your game state can be saved and served up in difference screens and devices,” Pincus said in an interview with GigaOM.

“The interaction cues will take cue from the different devices,” he said.

“In other words, you can play a game on a computer and call it up on Xbox and you resume from the point you left off, except the game play will now be customized for the Xbox controller.”

 

[patsu]

Interesting articles about the new display:

New iPad Display Technology Shoot-Out (iPad 2 – New iPad – iPhone 4)
http://www.displaymate.com/iPad_ShootOut_1.htm

The New iPad's Screen Under the Microscope
http://ignorethecode.net/blog/2012/03/16/ipad_screen_microscope/

New iPad:
http://ignorethecode.net/upload/437/iPad_3.jpg

iPad 2:
http://ignorethecode.net/upload/437/iPad_2.jpg

New iPad vs 4S:
http://ignorethecode.net/upload/437/iPad_iPhone_Comparison.png

3DS
http://ignorethecode.net/upload/437/Nintendo_3DS.jpg

Note how this screen doesn’t have square pixels; two pixels fill up one square. This is so the screen can send a different pixel to each eye, creating the 3D effect.

Vita:
http://ignorethecode.net/upload/437/PlayStation_Vita.jpg

PSP:
http://ignorethecode.net/upload/437/PlayStation_Portable.jpg

Xperia Play:
http://ignorethecode.net/upload/437/Xperia_Play.jpg

 

[patsu]

Zynga buys 'Draw Something' app maker OMGPOP http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_20223649/zynga-buys-omgpop-draw-something-mobile-game

Zynga continued its pattern of acquiring the makers of popular mobile games Wednesday, announcing the acquisition of OMGPOP, the maker of the "Draw Something" app.

The San Francisco social-gaming company will pay an undisclosed amount for OMGPOP, a New York-based startup that began operations in 2006 as iminlikewithyou. Its "Draw Something" app, which is similar to the game Pictionary, is the company's first big hit -- the 99-cent app has been downloaded 35 million times in about two months of availability, Zynga executive David Ko said in a conference call with the media Wednesday.

...

GAF has more juicy albeit unconfirmed details. e.g., About $200 mil buy-out. Draw Something earning about $250,000 a day after Apple's 30% comission.

 

[patsu]

Video Speed Trap Lurks in New iPad
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303812904577293882009811556.html

It has been only five days since users of Apple Inc.'s newest iPad first took the device out of the box. Some are now finding just how quickly the promise of superfast wireless connections collides with the reality of what those services cost.

"It's kind of a Catch-22," says Mr. Wells, a 31-year-old Web developer who decided to pony up for another gigabyte. "It streams really fast video, but by streaming really fast video you tend to watch more video, and that's not always best."

...

We spoke about sponsored dataplans, shared dataplans and prepay plans in the Vita thread. It looks like iPad with 3G/LTE will need the same. ^_^

With users skittish about paying more, wireless carriers are likely to experiment with new pricing schemes as they try to squeeze more profits out of their new networks.

AT&T, for example, is studying a plan to give app developers and content providers the option to pay for the mobile data their products use, thereby keeping those apps and videos from counting against a user's allotment of data, kind of like an 800-number for apps.

 

[wco81]

Zynga has that asshole CEO who was forcing employees to return their stock options to him.

As for LTE and data caps, it looks like they invested in all the base stations but not in the backhaul.

It's like they made a fast sports car but it runs out of high-octane fuel right away so you can't go far before you have to refill.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Baldur's Gate Enahnced Edition coming to iPad.

It's happening...

 

[ebola]

Anyone here got any statistics for graphics performance of New iPad versus Vita?

its the same graphics chip I think .. but lacking dedicated graphics memory?

r.e. this whole thread, I'd love to see an iOS 'console' if that would just be a "mac TV on steroids" (a headless ipad).
octocore arm,octocore gpu.

 

[patsu]

Zynga has that asshole CEO who was forcing employees to return their stock options to him.

Stone him !

I think Draw Something is a good purchase. Zynga can't afford to have another game company triumph it in FaceBook traffic.

Anyone here got any statistics for graphics performance of New iPad versus Vita?

its the same graphics chip I think .. but lacking dedicated graphics memory?

r.e. this whole thread, I'd love to see an iOS 'console' if that would just be a "mac TV on steroids" (a headless ipad).
octocore arm,octocore gpu.

Sony's GPU has some extensions done by them and Imagine Tech together. The new iPad has 1Gb RAM vs 512 in Vita. The new iPad goes through OpenGL for all graphics work, Vita developers probably have lower level access. iPad also needs to push a lot more pixels than Vita.

It's probably more interesting to figure out how to make both of them work together for the end users. ^_^

EDIT:
Someone wrote a high level comparison:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/316161/20120319/ipad-3-release-date-2012-ps-vita.htm

 

[Arwin]

Hmm, that article said very little imho.

 

[wco81]

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/...ular-than-multiplayer-gaming-on-xbox-live.ars

If consoles continue to become more and more general entertainment devices, instead of being core gaming-centric, then they start to compete more directly against mobile devices, which are selling in huge numbers every year (think of the hype and hoopla for the iPad launch every year).

Yet Sony and MS probably feel they have no choice but to expand the feature set of consoles. So given these trends, why would Apple bother with a core gaming console?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Yet Sony and MS probably feel they have no choice but to expand the feature set of consoles.

You've got that a little back to front. A computer does whatever its software enables it to do. The cost of supporting more than just gaming on 'gaming' hardware is only the cost of the software, which is pretty negligable. So adding media functionality to their consoles makes considerable sense. If XB360 had all that media value, and PS3 just played games, XB360 would offer far more value, which would have cost MS an irrelevant some to gain such a huge advantage.

Where Apple can compete on non-gaming functions (better than any console), they can't compete on games. Thus a buyer whose priorities are weighted in favour of gaming with non-gaming functions as a secondary (but still valued) concern isn't being offered a valid option from Apple. If Apple bring out a better console experience, they would compete on the full range of features and broaden their market appeal.

 

[wco81]

True but the market of people who prioritize core gaming over general entertainment is but a subset of the latter.

Put it this way, if Sony and MS were offered the chance to trade their console businesses for the iPhone and iPad business, would they go for it?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Of course! But then someone else could step up to expand the media experience with proper gaming and offer added value. Apple doing that would stave off attacks from MS or Sony offering a comparable experience. If MS rolls out Windows tablets that can play Live! Arcade games as well as do iOS stuff, and/or Sony gets its PSS act together and offers a unified experience of PS games across tablets, TVs and consoles, Apple will be facing a challenge that they have no current reply to.

 

[wco81]

I'm not sure anyone will be able to revolutionize the way TV is consumed, that is reshape the "living room" which everyone seems to be racing to capture.

Unless someone is able to break the relationships between the content providers and the content distributors somehow -- so that consumers can buy HBO content directly without going through the able or satellite cos. for instance.