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Apple Console...when??

I certainly don't see apple getting into the console business anytime soon. They've made some strides into gaming as of late... but I think the iPhone & iPod touch are going to be the closing thing apple has to a console for at least the next 5 years.
Also, a lot of people in the gaming industry are crying out for 1 open sources system so developers don't have to port and waste money doing all of that - though I don't see that ever happening.
 
t0mat0 said:
Sorry if i've got the wrong end of the stick, but isn't the Touch and the iPhone soon to become a multi-purpose device, including a games console?
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Technically no, it'd be a handheld not a console. Consoles are the big jock off things that don't use their own displays, don't have batteries etc.
 
Forget the Apple console, how about working with Sony by bringing :apple: TV functionality to the PS3. Now that would rock.
 
AlexH said:
Forget the Apple console, how about working with Sony by bringing :apple: TV functionality to the PS3. Now that would rock.
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Lol no. Sony are after cutting production costs (see EE chip), AppleTV software would likely be a very expensive system to license.

Officially... of course.
 
TwinCities Dan said:
Ummm...Sorry my friend, but you are mistaken (42,000 units sold and only lasted a year or two)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Pippen
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What!!! :eek: I thought the Pippin was never made! I must have completely dropped off the planet when that came out. ....And I was an Apple Evangelist back then. I am totally floored that it was actually made and released. My only memory was pictures of prototypes with the apple logo on it. :eek: I am seriously shocked. Wow! I must have amnesia or something. Wow. :eek: I can't believe that. No way. That page has to be fake. There is no way I could not know this.
 
could the apple tv be made into a gaming console like I hinted at earlier?
Think about it... you already have a sound OS, a tested and proven product, a sleek and known name and design, that can handle all of your media. Games are generally included in the circle of "media" when you're talking about a "media" system. updating the apple tv solves a lot of initial problems.
 
a sleek and known name...
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...That is anti-known for its games.

The only control is the Apple remote. If anyone else has tried using a LAN game controller (like a DS or PSP) then you'll know the lag restricts it from being a useable controller.
 
first I'd like to remedy that quote. I meant to say sleek device and known name. For the record. :D

Not anti-known, just not known because they don't exist. But it's a product that's sold decent numbers, so it's already got a foothold. A lot better than trying to come out with ANOTHER line of products.

First, correct me if I'm wrong but does it not have bluetooth a/o IR capabilities? The wii uses IR just fine. No lagginess there. And it's worrying about motion sensors and all that too. And if it doesn't have wireless, either add it or do wires!

Second, even though it'll be a whole new platform for developers, that shouldn't be a problem either. Just use cocoa just like they do for the iphone and touch.

Third, just imagine the announcement. If they announce an ibox, or iplay, or whatever they want to call it everyone's going to have a big deja vu. Everyone will laugh because Apple is having another go at the console market. But if they announce, and not as the BIGGEST story, that the apple tv has gotten a makeover and is now the ULTIMATE wireless media player and that it also has the ABILITY to play games (remotes separate, all the gaming is an option, hidden away if not wanted) and also give the apple tv other upgrades, it'll go a lot better. First they aren't making a big huge announcement so if it's horrible they won't be nearly as embarrassed, second they aren't losing as much implementing it in the first place.

Sorry about rambling on so long.... :D
 
liptonlover said:
Sorry about rambling on so long.... :D
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The Wii only uses IR for pointing, the rest is all BT. The IR pointing can get sketchy at times if the conditions aren't right, its not unplayable, but it has gotten frustrating for me a few times.

Apple TV has the framework for BT, but it lacks the hardware needed to support it.
 
I'll say it till it happens but they'd be best served by teaming with Nintendo and putting the Apple TV into a Wii. Give the Wii hard drive and internet access and down loadable content.

Apple's focus on design, image, etc kind of run counter to a gaming console. The best I could see would be a box that intentionally ran counter to the next gen trends and focused on flash games and the like. Maybe if they shot for super nes or 64 level graphics and gameplay with simple to download games. I could see that working given their history in the market. Casual games and board games to add to the apple tv in the living room already. That'd be something I'd be interested in.

Paul
 
pcypert said:
I'll say it till it happens but they'd be best served by teaming with Nintendo and putting the Apple TV into a Wii. Give the Wii hard drive and internet access and down loadable content.

Apple's focus on design, image, etc kind of run counter to a gaming console. The best I could see would be a box that intentionally ran counter to the next gen trends and focused on flash games and the like. Maybe if they shot for super nes or 64 level graphics and gameplay with simple to download games. I could see that working given their history in the market. Casual games and board games to add to the apple tv in the living room already. That'd be something I'd be interested in.

Paul
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An Apple/Nintendo team would be sweet but I still don't see it happening...
 
I think that Apple is a very capable company, but it just would be safer to stay away from the dangerous waters, otherwise known as "console wars".
 
Antares said:
How was the Pippin a disaster? It was just a concept and a prototype that Apple ultimately decided not to persue.
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Apple persued it alright, I've got the Apple-branded one in my collection.

They decided not to compete with Nintendo, and Sony, and now MS is in the fold.

They decided to go the handheld route. Their new console platform is called the iPhone and the iPod Touch.
 
I'mAMac said:
Apple Console...when??
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pig1.gif
 
gkarris said:
They decided to go the handheld route. Their new console platform is called the iPhone and the iPod Touch.
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And compete in an even bigger market with two huge goliaths that are already battling each other? The iPhone and Touch are not handhelds, and will be about as sucessful at being one as the N-Gage was.
 
I hear all this NGage stuff, but here in Thailand almost every male has one. Maybe they're getting pirated games (is that possible) but I see so many of those things "in the wild" over here. Maybe not a success in the US, but lots of love over here. See waaaayyyy more of those on the trains than DS or PSP though the later two have been growing as of late.

Paul
 
liptonlover said:
the iphone and itouch are being hyped as great gaming devices and it's not just hype and fantasy. It's absolutely true. If apple wanted to make a console, they've got what they need to do it.

1. they already have the appletv connected to our tv's and wifi and computers with the ability to download stuff.

2. they know how to think outside the box.

3. they are getting developers on board with them via the iphone and itouch. They've attracted some big names.

So I'm still going to say they could but not likely.
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Being hyped? Big name developers?

SEGA's the only big name developer I see who has shown a product. Hudson and EA have some stuff in works, and then there's a bunch of small unheard of studios.

Wake me up when there are big-name franchises announcing iPhone games. That's what'll bring people over, and Apple historically has never put forth the effort to bring those kinds of games developers over.

They have the AppleTV connected, sure, but does the AppleTV have a good graphics chipset for gaming? Do people who own AppleTV's have a controller to use with it? Are they the same marketshare as those who own an XBox or PS3 or Wii? And is the AppleTV's marketshare anywhere NEAR that of the Wii?
 
pcypert said:
I hear all this NGage stuff, but here in Thailand almost every male has one. Maybe they're getting pirated games (is that possible) but I see so many of those things "in the wild" over here. Maybe not a success in the US, but lots of love over here. See waaaayyyy more of those on the trains than DS or PSP though the later two have been growing as of late.

Paul
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I've never even seen an NGage in the wild. Every store stopped carrying the games a good couple of years ago. It's pretty dead here...
EDIT:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051125-5627.html

It IS dead.
 
The reason why people buy Macs is that they are stable, fast and easy to use. Those are the areas where Apple has hit its competitors. But how more easy to use can a console be? The console world has already reached a high level. For Apple to enter that area, it would be an economical suicide.
 
I was just thinking about this myself.

I don't think Apple specifically PLANS to make a game console, but I can see SOME chance of the following happening:

* iPhone/iPod Touch platform takes off (done deal)

* Lots of game developers learn Xcode as a result (happening already)

* iPhone GAMING takes off (inevitable)

* AppleTV's hardware specs will improve (a matter of time)

* Apple TV gains a new input device, maybe touch-based and/or tilt-based, but at the very least offering pointing, unlike the current remote (easily done--might happen)

* Apple allows 3rd-party apps on AppleTV, much like on the iPhone (possible at least)

So, take a whole TON of Xcode game developers, plus a somewhat-enhanced Apple TV, and what do you have? A game console!

But it's not competing with PS3 or Wii exactly. It would have some interesting things in common with the iPhone:

* Gaming is ONE thing it does, not the MAIN thing. Chicken-end-egg problem solved! People already own them--the market is there, so making games is no big risk. Therefore, all kinds of different people will have AppleTVs who are not "gamers" in their own minds but will buy games all the same.

* Much easier, cheaper, and more open development than the major consoles offer. One person or a small team can build a game for free. Try THAT with a traditional console platform!

* More emphasis on casual games--which are the biggest market. Hard core games cost a lot to make and risk failure if sales are disappointing. But those can certainly be made as well. Look at Wii to prove that having the top hardware specs isn't vital.

I can easily see this scenario happening--just don't make the mistake of thinking it will be the same kind of thing as a PS3 or Wii. It will be a DIFFERENT kind of thing. Just like an iPhone is different (with a whole different market) from a Blackberry or a Nintendo DS.
 
liptonlover said:
first I'd like to remedy that quote. I meant to say sleek device and known name. For the record. :D

Not anti-known, just not known because they don't exist. But it's a product that's sold decent numbers, so it's already got a foothold. A lot better than trying to come out with ANOTHER line of products.

First, correct me if I'm wrong but does it not have bluetooth a/o IR capabilities? The wii uses IR just fine. No lagginess there. And it's worrying about motion sensors and all that too. And if it doesn't have wireless, either add it or do wires!
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Nope! Data is transferred via BT, it just uses IR for the pointer functionality. The PS3 also uses BT, the 360 uses RF.

Apple TV doesn't have BT, the only way to connect it is via Lan, which is terrible when used as a game controller that requires zero lag. Wires+Motion controls don't work.

Second, even though it'll be a whole new platform for developers, that shouldn't be a problem either. Just use cocoa just like they do for the iphone and touch.
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To a seasoned Mac dev, no, it wouldn't be hard. Thing is these devs haven't done a great job getting gaming BIG on a Mac to begin with (does not mean they're not good) so I doubt they're going to mac the iPhone/iPod Touch into the next DS.

The market was already full with Nintendo's offerings. Sony have done an incredible task doing as well as they have. Even with all that Sony branding and the PS1/PS2 popularity and PSP system power - it couldn't match the DS. But there they are. It needs a bloody brilliant series of devs who know exactly what they're doing that can make something as weak, and ugly (fat DS) do so very well. The same can be said for the console market too, 3 systems is overkill as it is.

I do want Monkey Ball on the iPhone though. Ohhh yes!
 
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