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Apple Positioning iPhone and iPod Touch as Mobile Gaming Devices

happydude said:
i thought everyone carried around a gasoline powered generator on the bus or train during their commute to plug in their 40" plasma screen and xbox. i don't know what you do for gaming on the go . . . :rolleyes:
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I got mine hooked up to a generator on my 10-speed, rigged with solar panels, have a 45 ft. extension cord which I use while waiting on line at the bank, or while seated at a restaurant, and use a DieHard Platinum P-4 in the cart when shopping.
 
craig1410 said:
Just wait until someone (possibly Apple themselves given SJ's recent comments) brings out a little gaming cradle into which the iPhone/iPod can be fitted to provide standard gaming controls. I think Belkin(?) had been rumoured to have such a device a little while back.
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It doesn't even have to be a cradle. It could even be a controller with a cord. Whichever option takes up less space in a person's pocket.

iphone_game_controller.jpg

http://www.businessandgames.com/blog/2008/02/advergames_for_iphone.html

nowonder24 said:
I'm with you guys, too.

And I wouldn't restrict this to gaming. As an amateur photgrapher, I would never buy a standalone camera with the specs and the dimensions of my phone. But as it happens to come with one, I have found myself using it from time to time.
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Same here. I have a really good camera that I used to use all the time when I had my RAZR phone. But now, when I go to upload pics to my PC, I find I've taken more pics on my iPhone than on my camera. I think it's due to two reasons: 1) ease of uploading pics from iPhone (other cell phones aren't as simple to upload) and 2) it has a 2.0MP camera instead of that "joke" camera that my RAZR had.
On gaming, I don't own any gaming consuls, but I've found myself downloading and playing a few iPhone games when I'm bored. It looks like maybe the iPhone is converting non-gamers into gamers. Lol.

Eric Isaacson said:
This is significant news, but I hope it doesn't dissuade other Apps from being worked on.
Some basic office functions Apps really need to be added to the Iphone to make it more viable for the business community.
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I agree 100%.
 
Wow, what an excellent idea! You'll see the mobile gaming market in 5 years.
 
Clearly, the sweet spot for iPhone/iPod touch (relative to the dedicated consoles) are casual gamers, and everyone at some point of the day/week/month has a casual moment for which gaming is the antidote.

Plus, specifically because gaming is just one of the tasks that consumers use their iPhone/iPod touch for, the device is never far from their clutches – and their (virtual) pocketbook.

I see this truth play out several times a day, EVERY DAY, when my three and six year old sons ask if they can use my iPod to…play games, listen to music, view our photo albums, watch YouTube videos, use their favorite drawing program, etc.

It’s the classic low-end disruptor (Innovator’s Dilemma-speak), something that I blogged about in:

Apple’s Mobile Gaming Gold Rush
http://thenetworkgarden.com/weblog/2008/11/apples-mobile-g.html

Check it out if interested.

Mark
 
I've been trying to figure out how to make a phone call from my PSP or take a picture. Does anyone know? Also, I can't find my iTunes playlists on my PSP either and the GPS seems to be broken. Can someone tell me how to do this stuff on my PSP? Also, I can't find the Youtube feature, Shazam, or check my stocks. Someone please help. Thank you. :)

OH, and how do you send a text message from a PSP ?

Forget it. I think I'm going to sell my PSP on eBay and just use my iPhone3G. :D
 
:D
raggedjimmi said:
It's not a popular opinion here, but as a GBA, DS and PSP owner I'm not seeing the iPhone as a proper gaming device. It seems to have casual and high-score games by the abundance - but no engrossing games like the above 3 systems that suck time away.
The GPU is just a shard off the PSP's, yet the CPU is leaps ahead. But it's completely limited by it's main feature; the touchscreen.
Even gamings biggest legends at Nintendo couldn't make gaming fully touchscreen only as the DS also has buttons. Some games work without buttons (Zelda, Kirby) but some genres flat out do not work and will never work on touchscreen alone.
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IF someone makes a real (and standardized) gaming cradle for the iPhone, then we might see it get some real credibility as a gaming device... otherwise, I agree with the above poster. The iPhone is good for casual games and not much else-- the control scheme is just too limited to play on the same field as the PSP, GBA, or DS. 99% of people that game on an iPhone will be buying one or two games to play on their lunch break... they will NOT become like PSP/DS gamers who have dozens of titles and buy new ones every month. I'm not trying to downplay the iPhone, but from a gaming revenue standpoint, I can't see it getting out of the minor leagues.

I'd say it's already outpaced the N-Gage, though.
 
i'm not so sure that the iphone and ipod touch will replace the DS or PSP, but there is no doubt that they are selling games on the app store right now. i hope the trend continues, with better games on the way
 
If we ever see a "gaming cradle" (which I doubt), I don't expect it to sell well. Aftermarket controllers never catch on, even when they're first party products. It's just too hard to get companies to make games that can't be played on the device and controls that shipped originally.
 
There was a recent report that a large number of people carry both a cell phone and an music player.
Why not just carry one device, and have gaming and internet also?

Or. would you rather carry four devices? cell phone, music player, PSP, and a laptop ?

.


.

.
 
i think my iphone is great for those quick games while waiting for a bus etc but it just doesn't compare to my PSP or DS.

sure someday you can probably buy an addon that will make the iphone a controller but you might as well just carry a PSP or DS around.

the battery life running games on the PSP and DS are awesome. i can't say the same about my iphone when playing games :(

am i against more games on the ipod/iphone? no. i've wasted plenty of time on playing games on my phone. the more the better. i just don't consider it a true gaming device that will truly compete with PSP or DS.
 
I'm glad that most of the posters to this thread mention both the iPhone and iTouch in their comments, however that doesn't seem to be the case with most of the writers for whom the iPhone seems to be the only product they see as being made.

Even on the MacRumors site the term iPhone is used when both products can run the program the story is about. I suspect that sometimes only the iPhone is meant, but how is one to know?

Finally, I'm wondering how soon we may see a particular program to require an iPhone or iTouch with more than the memory of the smallest model sold? For example, why buy an iTouch that has more memory than the largest iPhone if (1) only one program at a time can run, and (2) programs are wrote to fit on both the iPhone and iTouch, therefore wrote to not use the full memory of the larger iTouch?
 
Gaming platforms generally aren't defined by their technology, but by whether they have that one "killer app." It only takes one great game to justify the purchase of a console/handheld, as Halo did for the original xbox, and as Brain Age did for the DS, and for now it's just wait-and-see as to whether the iphone will get such a game. Monkey Ball gives a hint as to the potential for the platform, but it's no system seller.

I would put odds in favor of the iphone emerging as a legit gaming device (no prediction as to what demographic it will appeal to), but I guess we'll see.
 
This is hardly news - when the new touch was introduced, Apple advertised it directly as a gaming device ("the funnest iPod ever").

I don't think the devices will do well as gaming devices. The lack of tactile response really hurts their ability to do so. Games usually have a lot going on on the screen, so you don't have time to think about where the controls are. You feel them, you instinctively know where they are. The iPod/phone's controls are too variable. It becomes a distraction.
 
raggedjimmi said:
It's not a popular opinion here, but as a GBA, DS and PSP owner I'm not seeing the iPhone as a proper gaming device. It seems to have casual and high-score games by the abundance - but no engrossing games like the above 3 systems that suck time away.
The GPU is just a shard off the PSP's, yet the CPU is leaps ahead. But it's completely limited by it's main feature; the touchscreen.
Even gamings biggest legends at Nintendo couldn't make gaming fully touchscreen only as the DS also has buttons. Some games work without buttons (Zelda, Kirby) but some genres flat out do not work and will never work on touchscreen alone.

Don't get me wrong. I have a few games on my iPod Touch but it's certainly never going to impact on the traditional handheld gaming systems.
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twoodcc said:
i'm not so sure that the iphone and ipod touch will replace the DS or PSP, but there is no doubt that they are selling games on the app store right now. i hope the trend continues, with better games on the way
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I agree with these two.

I play games on my iPhone but I've yet to see anything worth putting the time into like I did with SOCOM, MLB '09 or Brave Story on my PSP. For instance, today I was on line at the post office and I started playing Solitare. That's the type of gaming I see prospering on the iPhone.

Though given X-Plane, maybe anything is possible but I have yet to see it.
 
home button dpad?

I've always wished that the home button on the iphone/ipodtouch could be enlarged just a bit and be used as a dpad.
 
raggedjimmi said:
That's the problem though, I'd rather not have to buy a secondary device for an already expensive product just to get the same level of control as a £30-120 dedicated gaming device. And then have to carry that product around too and cross my fingers, hoping that devs support a peripheral, potentially low-selling device.
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But the primary functions of the iPhone is phone, iPod and internet access - gaming IMHO is secondary. Who on earth would want to carry around something the size of a PSP to use as a phone? You would look ridiculous holding that up to your ear wouldn't you!! :rolleyes:

The idea of having a gaming cradle would be to provide the hard(er) core gamer with better controls, perhaps a built in battery booster and perhaps even a rumble device for better feedback. You could even build in more powerful speakers. I see there being a wide range of options from simple d-pad and buttons to more elaborate devices with a corresponding range of prices. Most importantly when you are finished gaming you can just pop out the iPhone/iTouch and pop it in your pocket.

I was previously tempted by the PSP and my kids have a couple of DS's. However I was put off the PSP by the fact that it was a gaming device primarily with some basic media playback functions and was too bulky to carry around easily.

As a software developer I am also very interested in iPhone/iTouch development, something which is just not accessible without serious expenditure on the PSP and DS platforms.

Craig.
 
Rybold said:
There was a recent report that a large number of people carry both a cell phone and an music player.
Why not just carry one device, and have gaming and internet also?

Or. would you rather carry four devices? cell phone, music player, PSP, and a laptop ?
Click to expand...
Because each of them devices does things better than the others. The PSP was designed to play games, this is why it has buttons and input to support such.
The music player was designed to hold a lot of music.
The phone was designed to make phone calls and send/receive text messages.
The laptop was designed to be a portable computer, replacing a tower so work can be performed anywhere.

The iPhone doesn't let you edit documents effectively, you can't seriously use it as a replacement computer.

Also - if the battery is drained then that's it. When I go out to visit my girlfriend at her university I have to spend 4 hours traveling each way. If the iPod dies I move onto my DS. And so on.

Rybold said:
I've been trying to figure out how to make a phone call from my PSP or take a picture. Does anyone know? Also, I can't find my iTunes playlists on my PSP either and the GPS seems to be broken. Can someone tell me how to do this stuff on my PSP? Also, I can't find the Youtube feature, Shazam, or check my stocks. Someone please help. Thank you. :)
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You can use Youtube on the PSP through (like the iPhone) an app independent of the web browser which supports more than just Youtube as well, you can also use Flash (though not the latest version of Flash). You can't get your GPS working on your PSP? I recommend contacting Sony and telling them your Go-Explore GPS unit is broken. Also sounds like your PSP camera is broken.
If you can't check your stocks then I suggest you update your PSP firmware so the web browser can work.
iTunes not working? You could try using Missing Sync if you really need it.

I'm not sure if you're being serious or just joking about.
 
the games on iphone are amazing! and fairly priced. but people need to stop thinking of them as "call phone games" and more like psp games. So apple is doing a good job by advertising all of the games/apps now! Whhoo! Go :apple:
 
raggedjimmi said:
Because each of them devices does things better than the others. The PSP was designed to play games, this is why it has buttons and input to support such.
The music player was designed to hold a lot of music.
The phone was designed to make phone calls and send/receive text messages.
The laptop was designed to be a portable computer, replacing a tower so work can be performed anywhere.

The iPhone doesn't let you edit documents effectively, you can't seriously use it as a replacement computer.

Also - if the battery is drained then that's it. When I go out to visit my girlfriend at her university I have to spend 4 hours traveling each way. If the iPod dies I move onto my DS. And so on.



You can use Youtube on the PSP through (like the iPhone) an app independent of the web browser which supports more than just Youtube as well, you can also use Flash (though not the latest version of Flash). You can't get your GPS working on your PSP? I recommend contacting Sony and telling them your Go-Explore GPS unit is broken. Also sounds like your PSP camera is broken.
If you can't check your stocks then I suggest you update your PSP firmware so the web browser can work.
iTunes not working? You could try using Missing Sync if you really need it.

I'm not sure if you're being serious or just joking about.
Click to expand...

http://www.play.com/Games/PSP/4-/3433758/Go-Explore/Product.html (scroll down)
Hey! That video is pretty cool ! Thanks! :D:D:D

Thanks for all the links. That's pretty cool stuff. I had no idea the PSP could do all that. Nice!
Okay, so how does the graphics processor of the PSP compare to the iPhone, and what would we need to upgrade on the iPhone hardware so that it would be as good as the PSP on graphics processing?

ps... those accessories cost $100s extra though. (105gps, 30software, 75camera&software)
 
Now I know that we as humans tend to learn from other people's flaws and make old ideas new again, but some ideas tend to get way too much hype for nothing, I think that Steve has many good intentions for the iPHONE as having games on the go, but so has the other major phone companies. Let's be frank here, it was Nokia who first gave us the mobile phone/gaming device, sad to say it was not that popular but it opened the doors to other companies to follow suit and make an existing idea better.
About three years ago I read a report on the local newspaper that reported on games on the cell phones, many of those interviewed said that there were not "hard core" gamers and played games on their phones to "pass the time" while in line, or on the way to work/home on the bus, train, etc., and were not too enthusiastic about seeing phone companies catering to us gamers.
Even some gamers that were reported mentioned that they would prefer to play games on their handheld gaming devices not their phones due to the obvious (battery life, calling, texting, etc.,).
I agree even though I had many games on my Motorola V360 that where quite entertaining while I walked my dogs, or when I didn't have my PSP. but I rather play games on my GBA/SP or on my PSP.
I get more fun and play time on a device that is being manufactured to be just that, a handheld gaming device and nothing more.
I am sure that Apple has great plans for the iPHONE/iTOUCH but it has a very long and steep road to be toe to toe with the two power houses of handheld video gaming and they [apple] have yet to get started.



:apple:
 
Rybold said:
http://www.play.com/Games/PSP/4-/3433758/Go-Explore/Product.html (scroll down)
Hey! That video is pretty cool ! Thanks! :D:D:D

Thanks for all the links. That's pretty cool stuff. I had no idea the PSP could do all that. Nice!
Okay, so how does the graphics processor of the PSP compare to the iPhone, and what would we need to upgrade on the iPhone hardware so that it would be as good as the PSP on graphics processing?

ps... those accessories cost $100s extra though. (105gps, 30software, 75camera&software)
Click to expand...

Yup, they're quite pricey but thankfully they don't come as standard. I'd rather not have a GPS and camera attached to a games machine, eating up battery life and bumping cost.
I don't know how the 2 compare but IIRC the iPhone has a GPU a little less than the PSPs, but since it's not running an OS behind the game the PSP is leaps ahead in terms of real world performance.

funnyent said:
the games on iphone are amazing! and fairly priced. but people need to stop thinking of them as "call phone games" and more like psp games. So apple is doing a good job by advertising all of the games/apps now! Whhoo! Go :apple:
Click to expand...
People will stop thinking that when Apple stop with the crazy claims. The iPhone/iPod Touch will do quite well in the casual market, and personally I just can't see it doing better than that.
 
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