Apple to announce handheld games console at WWDC?

[inkswamp]

I just ran across an interesting bit of speculation on reghardware.co.uk about how Apple may be planning to unveil a handheld games console at WWDC . It's a week old but I haven't seen it posted here. It's interesting in that it pulls together some seemingly disparate threads and rumors around Apple lately (new hardware/device, tablet, recent interest in gaming, etc.) I'm not sure I buy this theory at first glance, but the more I think about it, the more sense it starts to make and the more it looks like Apple is lining things up for just such a product. They've signaled an interest in games, showed off the gaming power in the iPhone and the SDK, patented a slightly larger tablet form factor, etc. And to top it off, Apple could utilize the AppStore as a "game tablet" distribution system.

I wonder how well such a thing would sell if Apple pared down the iPhone-ish features but retained a minimal ability to do music and movie playing and got the price down to the $200-300 range.

Such an announcement would certainly be relevant to WWDC.

 

[NT1440]

with all the new gaming going into the iphone/touch, i really doubt apple would suddenly release a gaming device as well, its a bit overkill. And i think apple learned their lesson the first time around with gaming.

 

[inkswamp]

with all the new gaming going into the iphone/touch, i really doubt apple would suddenly release a gaming device as well, its a bit overkill. And i think apple learned their lesson the first time around with gaming.

I'm not sure that makes sense. There's a lot of money in gaming but gamers aren't going to buy an iPhone just for the games. The demonstrations of the iPhone's gaming power was really impressive. I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple produce a lower-cost, fewer-features touch table oriented to gamers. It's a lucrative market to tap into (look at sales of the DS and PSP for evidence of that.) I would be surprised if Apple hadn't already contemplated it. And like I said, retaining the iPod/movie playing features and letting it interface cleanly with iTunes and maybe AppleTV would differentiate it from the DS and PSP.

 

[Sky Blue]

I wonder how well such a thing would sell if Apple pared down the iPhone-ish features but retained a minimal ability to do music and movie playing and got the price down to the $200-300 range.

I agree. They could keep the iPhone features, but remove the phone. It would just be an iPod. They could call it iPod Touch.

 

[NT1440]

I'm not sure that makes sense. There's a lot of money in gaming but gamers aren't going to buy an iPhone just for the games. The demonstrations of the iPhone's gaming power was really impressive. I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple produce a lower-cost, fewer-features touch table oriented to gamers. It's a lucrative market to tap into (look at sales of the DS and PSP for evidence of that.) I would be surprised if Apple hadn't already contemplated it. And like I said, retaining the iPod/movie playing features and letting it interface cleanly with iTunes and maybe AppleTV would differentiate it from the DS and PSP.

the problem with that is sony and nintendo are already highly established gaming companies, when ppl think apple, they sure as hell dont think games.

apple would have to have an AMAZING device as well as a full arsenal of games if this was a reality, which i really dont think it is

 

[inkswamp]

the problem with that is sony and nintendo are already highly established gaming companies, when ppl think apple, they sure as hell dont think games.

The same was said about Apple entering the highly competitive world of cell phones and music. They seem to have a knack for entering established markets and stirring things up.

apple would have to have an AMAZING device as well as a full arsenal of games if this was a reality, which i really dont think it is

Did you see the demo of Monkey Ball on the iPhone? That was pretty amazing. Even the guy from Sega said they were blown away by it. That guy is knee-deep in the game industry and he was impressed. I think Apple having an amazing platform for handheld games is a given.

As far as having a full arsenal of games, well hey... that's why it would make sense for Apple to announce this at WWDC, to a conference of developers. Maybe they plan to announce the tablet and then release the device sometime before Christmas when games would start to emerge. And who knows? Apple has had those job postings for game developers, right? Maybe they have a few killer apps waiting in the wings. Or maybe they've been secretly working with EA and other developers who have stuff ready to go. You have to wonder why Apple decided to produce that space shooter to demo at the iPhone event when they had Monkey Ball and Spore demos lined up.

I see more evidence for than against this idea.

 

[inkswamp]

To add a little more fuel to the fire.

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...e_artists_apple_tv_prep_begins_at_retail.html

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...loping_3d_gaming_controller_for_apple_tv.html

None of that makes much sense unless...

 

[nick9191]

I agree. They could keep the iPhone features, but remove the phone. It would just be an iPod. They could call it iPod Touch.

Class

I think this could coincide with the rumors of large Apple objects on the way to the US, thought I doubt it.

 

[Sky Blue]

The same was said about Apple entering the highly competitive world of cell phones and music. They seem to have a knack for entering established markets and stirring things up.



Did you see the demo of Monkey Ball on the iPhone? That was pretty amazing. Even the guy from Sega said they were blown away by it. That guy is knee-deep in the game industry and he was impressed. I think Apple having an amazing platform for handheld games is a given.

As far as having a full arsenal of games, well hey... that's why it would make sense for Apple to announce this at WWDC, to a conference of developers. Maybe they plan to announce the tablet and then release the device sometime before Christmas when games would start to emerge. And who knows? Apple has had those job postings for game developers, right? Maybe they have a few killer apps waiting in the wings. Or maybe they've been secretly working with EA and other developers who have stuff ready to go. You have to wonder why Apple decided to produce that space shooter to demo at the iPhone event when they had Monkey Ball and Spore demos lined up.

I see more evidence for than against this idea.

what is it about the iphone/touch platform being the gaming device that you don't get?

 

[NT1440]

what is it about the iphone/touch platform being the gaming device that you don't get?

exactly what i was getting at, they wouldnt put out a whole new device when theyve just thrown so much effort into gaming on the ipod touch and iphone.

on another note, awesome avatar

 

[inkswamp]

what is it about the iphone/touch platform being the gaming device that you don't get?

I love Macs but I really can't stand how overly defensive and know-it-all some Mac users can get in these kinds of discussions. If you just want to cover your ears and not hear this kind of speculation, why the @#$%& are you reading forums on a rumors site?

Anyway, assuming you want to hear a rational response to your question, I'll tell you what part of the iPhone/iPod Touch as a gaming platform I don't get--the $300-400 price tag. And I suspect most gamers out there won't "get" it either. You can buy a good console for that price. Apple could be on to something hot with a low-cost game-oriented version of the iPhone.

But I know... everything Apple does is perfect and speculating like this is heresy. I'll sit down and stop making so much noise in church.

 

[UltimateSyn]

I love Macs but I really can't stand how overly defensive and know-it-all some Mac users can get in these kinds of discussions. If you just want to cover your ears and not hear this kind of speculation, why the @#$%& are you reading forums on a rumors site?

Anyway, assuming you want to hear a rational response to your question, I'll tell you what part of the iPhone/iPod Touch as a gaming platform I don't get--the $300-400 price tag. And I suspect most gamers out there won't "get" it either. You can buy a good console for that price. Apple could be on to something hot with a low-cost game-oriented version of the iPhone.

But I know... everything Apple does is perfect and speculating like this is heresy. I'll sit down and stop making so much noise in church.

The whole point of these devices is to have so many different features on one device, in your pocket.

People know that if they buy an iPod touch, it's gonna give them a great gaming experience (well, in June) but it's also gonna be able to replace their MP3 player, portable video player, PDA because it can do so much more than play games (again, I'm speaking in the future tense of June). Internet, music, movies, photos, games, apps, calender, notes, portable music store.

Edit: In summary, I, just as many other people do, don't think that Apple would release a device solely for gaming when the iPod touch (starting at 299, will be dropped soon to 249) will do such a great job. A Tablet I can see them doing, capable of games, but again not solely for games. Apple is all about All-In-One devices.

That was just as long as the first paragraph, but they're both worth reading.
All the best
~Austin~