Apple makes a preliminary move.

[Skrying]

Skyring - sorry about the bad tech specs (trying to work too), but I think there's a big flaw in your logic. You're assuming an Apple handheld has to target the DS/PSP demographic.

Apple's strength has always be redefining the demographic - not taking markets, but CREATING markets. Look at the iPod and iPhone. People flocked to these devices in droves and they - technically speaking - really aren't the greatest in their traditional markets.

Most early iPod adopters hadn't bought a Rio, just as a large % of iPhone buyers had never owned a smart phone.

An Apple handheld would likely target an unidentified niche or seem rather than go head-to-head with conventional devices. At least that's my guess.

Apple didn't create shit with the iPod or iPhone. They went into a semi-establish (MP3 player) market or a well established one (smart phone) market. What have they done correctly in those? Claim innovation where there is little and in one case not make a stupid interface. Other than that they've often lacked features (To this day why someone would buy a iPod baffles me BEYOND BELIEF) and had a interface that really isn't any simpler than others in the iPod.

Apple I can see as a great marketing company, one of the best in fact. They make their products hip, make you want to own one. Make everyone else having one cool. Make you feel like you need one. They don't even pull punches there, their iPhone adds outright say you don't even need this device basically. Yet people buy them. The problem is their is a player who knows style, innovation, and mass market appeal in the handheld market: Nintendo. Nintendo has the cute little device, its cheap, it has a ton of games, and it has a neat feature in touch controls already. It's completely established, it's extremely simple to use. What is there for Apple to grab here? A device that's likely more expensive aimed at the casual players? It'll need to be cheaper than the DS (highly unlikely) or pack more features in a cheaper than PSP package (razor thin margin).

I'm trying real hard to think of the niche they could go for. They can only compete, not dominant, the marketing factor vs a DS. So that means they actually would have to create a niche this time and I just don't see it.

I disagree with that. If they're going after the 'casual' market a la Wii, they could go with something simplistic. You wouldn't even need 3D hardware to be able to support titles that many current iPod owners might be interested in playing. High quality AA'd 2D vector drawing would suffice for platformers and puzzlers and top-down racers and all sorts, like a SNES/Megadrive/Amiga in game offerings.

Cheaper than DS yet innovative and more feature filled? For a company that seems all about integration that doesn't seem much into Apple's typical strategy.

 

[AlphaWolf]

There's a place for a more portable game unit. If you could just add an inch to the touch for a d-pad (or even the ipod wheel thing) and a couple buttons and a media slot, that would make it about 1/5th the size (volume) of a psp. The DS and PSP are way too big to carry in a (normal) pocket.

 

[idsn6]

With the upcoming iPhone/iPod Touch SDK, games will come regardless of Apple. Aside from that, I agree that I can't see Apple introducing dedicated game consoles any time soon; this is just covering their bases.

 

[desmond]

There's a place for a more portable game unit. If you could just add an inch to the touch for a d-pad (or even the ipod wheel thing) and a couple buttons and a media slot, that would make it about 1/5th the size (volume) of a psp. The DS and PSP are way too big to carry in a (normal) pocket.

battery life would be an hour or less under heavy gameplay.

 

[cthellis42]

Your first quote makes little sense when talking about a new device. Why redesign the current iPod or iPhone touches for such simple games?

Um... where did you get "redesign the hardware" from in my comments? I'm saying they may be extending their trademark to cover games (they already have some), and the likely delivery platform is through the existing iPod/iPhone sphere (which they already do), simple games (which they already are, since they're limited to iPod controls) priced cheaply (which they already are), and that this trademark alteration MIGHT simply reflect a desire to push their current philosophy to a wider audience once the SDK comes out.

Though personally I don't see it being anything more than "covering all bases" and extending the trademark to areas they're already inside or right next to. We already know the the SDK release will spark a plethora of new software coming out, and casual games (even free ones) would happily be a large part of that.

 

[AlphaWolf]

battery life would be an hour or less under heavy gameplay.

Have some facts to back that up? I have no problem playing through 3 movies on my touch (5-6 hours).

 

[desmond]

Have some facts to back that up? I have no problem playing through 3 movies on my touch (5-6 hours).

mostly from using my iPhone. Heavy net surfing drains the power quickly but it needs to power wireless radio unlike touch.

 

[AlphaWolf]

mostly from using my iPhone. Heavy net surfing drains the power quickly but it needs to power wireless radio unlike touch.

Well the cell phone is a major draw in terms of power, the wireless is not. I can browse for hours on my touch.

 

[Mize]

Look guys, everyone here knows that Apple isn't as "breakthrough" as they make most consumers think, but they have a way - and it's not just marketing, but look/feel/style - of capturing the consumer's imagination.

I have a C2D hp laptop and a Q6600 desktop that blazes through my work with Ubuntu but my wife's MacBook Air is simply sexier and more appealing to a large cross-section - as a short-trip email/basic web site work computer it might even replace my Fujitsu 10" notebook (also Ubuntu) if it weren't so frickin' overpriced. For a general purposed (CAD/graphics, etc.) computer I couldn't stand it because I find it rather slow.

Nonetheless it would be ignorant to underestimate what Jobs is capable of even in a market like handheld videogames. And let's face it - apple fan or not, their products have made everyone else's better so it's good news even for linux dweebs and gameheads.

 

[Diamond.G]

Wow, I didn't think many here would give Apple a chance in the handheld arena. There is a macrumors thread is full of people saying Apple could topple Nintendo in the handheld arena. All I asked there is what does the iPod Touch/iPhone offer that is better than what the DS/PSP offers (in regards to games)?

 

[desmond]

Wow, I didn't think many here would give Apple a chance in the handheld arena. There is a macrumors thread is full of people saying Apple could topple Nintendo in the handheld arena. All I asked there is what does the iPod Touch/iPhone offer that is better than what the DS/PSP offers (in regards to games)?

who is going to develop games for this platform?

 

[cthellis42]

Look guys, everyone here knows that Apple isn't as "breakthrough" as they make most consumers think, but they have a way - and it's not just marketing, but look/feel/style - of capturing the consumer's imagination.

Actually, it's just some people have something stuck in their craw about Apple, and are perpetually vocal about it. I can never figure out why.

"Innovation" from ANY company is always questionable, as there are so many different arenas to draw inspiration from, and for we internet-scouring nerd-types, so many different pieces of obscure tech that we can point to as having existed previously, or having filed some odd patent back in the day... Plenty of other traits and non-obvious design choices make lots of difference; "refinement" is usually weighed a lot heavier than innovation.

 

[archangelmorph]

who is going to develop games for this platform?

EA for one..

 

[desmond]

EA for one..

a brand new platform by a vendor with no console experience (hardware/firmware/software) with install base of zero vs. ds/psp.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

They could cheaply buy up Flash-game IPs like Sony have done with flOw and Pixel Junk Monsters. Small development teams creating very simple games with swish enough graphics will sell, cost nothing to make, and give those developers a chance at turning a profit.

 

[archangelmorph]

a brand new platform by a vendor with no console experience (hardware/firmware/software) with install base of zero vs. ds/psp.

Your rhetoric is blinded by your close-minded thinking..

Handheld gaming is by far not limit by the DS/PSP market..

As it's been stated numerous times, it's pretty reasonable to assume they aren't looking to compete in a new handheld market (ds/psp) but to broaden there own current one (iPod multimedia devices)..

Fun games that are tailored toward the iPods' user input which are smart, accessible & asthetically pleasing will help carry their brand further & generate greater interest in there products in the future.. It sounds to me like it's nothing more than adding a checkbox feature to increase consumer interest..

& secondly who says an iPod games business can't be successful without major console publisher backing?

This is backwards thinking IMO & neglects to recognise the fact that a new market opens the door for new players to gain and establish a foothold (where were companies like Glu & Gameloft before the mobile phone games industry took off..?)

Once the market has proven itself then its highly likely that you'll start to see the Ubisofts & EAs of this world come looking for a piece of the pie..

 

[mister slim]

a brand new platform by a vendor with no console experience (hardware/firmware/software) with install base of zero vs. ds/psp.

EA already has 7 games available for the iPod.

 

[Mize]

a brand new platform by a vendor with no console experience (hardware/firmware/software) with install base of zero vs. ds/psp.

Yeah, that Playstation (PS1) will never fly. Are you guys really that young?

 

[Diamond.G]

Yeah, that Playstation (PS1) will never fly. Are you guys really that young?

I follow what you are saying, I would even buy Apple just getting into the cell phone game market. But to think Apple could topple the 20yr Nintendo handheld dominance just seems silly to me. Sony can't do it, and they have a pretty good gaming track record. Apple's gaming track record is pretty spotty at best.

Maybe I am missing something.

 

[Mize]

I never said they'd topple anyone! All I pointed out is that new players (Sony) have entered (and Sega, Atari & NEC are long gone).

I think if Apple did go this route - and that's a long shot at best - it is silly to apply conventional ideas to how they would go about it or how the market would react. heck, maybe they'll have the first massively multiplayer handheld games for corporate executives to play during long meetings?