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Will Apple make a game console?

M

Mike84

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 23, 2010
818
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I searched the forum and couldn't really find any information on this. So, I decided to post a thread to ask.

Since Apple has allowed for games on the iPod, iPad, and iPhone, what are the chances that apple is moving in the direction of either creating a game console or an entirely new gaming experience? The resolution on the iPhone 4, for example, is amazing. Unfortunately, it seems there are not a lot of games out there that take advantage of it. However, the few that are look great. Not only is resolution something to consider, but the controls themselves. iPhone, ipod touch and iPad have touch screen controls and that is really interesting.

So, what is Apple's stance and future with respect to gaming and perhaps a gaming console in the future?
 
costabunny said:
I hope they don't go there again.

Let them stick to the Computing (mobile & Desktop) and telecoms side of the fence.
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yeah, I knew about this and looked over it. It seemed to have been a failure. However, what they have now on their products is really promising and I'd think they may want to move in that direction eventually. The thing is, I play certain one-person-shooter games on my iPhone 4 and I am just impressed with how it works. Sure, it may need a lot of working, but the future is promising with this. So, if they were to make a dedicated device for gaming it might be better than the PS3 and Xbox.

For example, imagine the iPhone 4 only did gaming and it had 1ghz of speed and 512 or even 1gb of ram. It would be ridiculous
 
If the rumors are true about iOS 4 on the Apple TV, then yes, that is exactly what Apple is going to do.
 
If I were a betting man, I believe an iOS based Apple TV/Game hybrid will be released in 2011.
 
Apple doesn't understand gaming, gamers and game developers and games are a business they know nothing about and they've never taken it seriously at all.

No, I doubt that Apple will ever release something that could be categorized as a game console in the league of the Wii, PS3 or Xbox 360.
 
Winni said:
Apple doesn't understand gaming, gamers and game developers and games are a business they know nothing about and they've never taken it seriously at all.

No, I doubt that Apple will ever release something that could be categorized as a game console in the league of the Wii, PS3 or Xbox 360.
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Because they sure new a lot about MP3 players before the iPod and they new a ton about the cell phone market before the iPhone? ;)

With that being said, I'd have to agree with most. I don't think they'll make the jump into the dedicated console market anytime soon. However, the next AppleTV update could put them in the position to make the leap at some point. An updated AppleTV running iOS with an App Store could bring thousands of developers to TVs across the world.
 
I see them releasing the rumored Apple TV later this year(maybe at the iPod event?) and if this Apple TV had iOS 4 with the App Store I could see it playing games with iPhones/iPods as the controller.
 
A dedicated traditional gaming console? Not a chance. There's no market for it. But even the normal consoles are becoming more and more console/media center hybrids.

There is an opportunity for Apple to simultaneously tap into the casual gaming market and the digital TV content market.

With the right APIs and iOS4 on a revamped Apple TV, they could create a light gaming platform for the living room. iPhones as the controllers. TVs (and iPads?) as the screen.

They could even spin the flexible, casual/social nature of it. You don't need to buy controllers. Your friends comes over. He/She already has a controller. You play something, then after watch a movie. :D
 
gan6660 said:
I see them releasing the rumored Apple TV later this year(maybe at the iPod event?) and if this Apple TV had iOS 4 with the App Store I could see it playing games with iPhones/iPods as the controller.
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I think it would need its own event.. It would almost immediately displace the wii, depending on the controller design they end up on.

Though, I hope its marketed as the $99 flash-based appleTV flash-based refresh with the ability to install apps (including games) with some first-party bluetooth controllers available (and included in the iPod event)

install netflix app - control from ipad... drool....
 
aughsum said:
I think it would need its own event.. It would almost immediately displace the wii, depending on the controller design they end up on.

Though, I hope its marketed as the $99 flash-based appleTV flash-based refresh with the ability to install apps (including games) with some first-party bluetooth controllers available (and included in the iPod event)

install netflix app - control from ipad... drool....
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I dont think they would market it as a game console right away but they would market it as a revamped apple tv that plays games. Right now its an iPod accessory on the online store so I can see it being released at the iPod event in sept.
 
eponym said:
A dedicated traditional gaming console? Not a chance. There's no market for it. But even the normal consoles are becoming more and more console/media center hybrids.

There is an opportunity for Apple to simultaneously tap into the casual gaming market and the digital TV content market.

With the right APIs and iOS4 on a revamped Apple TV, they could create a light gaming platform for the living room. iPhones as the controllers. TVs (and iPads?) as the screen.

They could even spin the flexible, casual/social nature of it. You don't need to buy controllers. Your friends comes over. He/She already has a controller. You play something, then after watch a movie. :D
Click to expand...

I think this is pretty accurate. Apple's interests seem to coincide (funnily enough..) with Jobs' interests; and Jobs doesn't seem to have the slightest interest in games.

However, they haven't ignored the popularity of games on the iOS platform, and IF the iOS comes to the AppleTV, it'll be a gaming platform whether Apple like it or not. A very casual gaming platform (in a similar bracket to the Wii), but a platform with many thousands of cheap games available at launch. That makes it very, very different from the Pippin.
 
Perhaps the reinvented iOS enabled ATV is just for streaming media and some games, and as others have mentioned, use the ipod/iphone for controllers.

What about the MacMini becoming the more hardcore gaming device, with OSX and iOS built in. It would natively run iOS, but with a "Finder" icon, which would then switch over the Finder for Mac needs. Still controllable with the ipod/iphone interface. Now that would be a media center.

Music, TV, Movies, Internet, Games, and Home Computing all from one box!
 
I wouldn't be surprised if they do... I'm sure they've been looking into it, along with the soon introduction of the Game Center.
 
Not a console but the iOS is doing pretty well in mobile gaming:
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/10/07/01/nintendo.and.sony.still.hurt.by.apple/

Winni said:
Apple doesn't understand gaming, gamers and game developers and games are a business they know nothing about and they've never taken it seriously at all.

No, I doubt that Apple will ever release something that could be categorized as a game console in the league of the Wii, PS3 or Xbox 360.
Click to expand...

FAIL as usual. You obviously don't know any facts.

Nintendo revised down their earnings due to iOS competition in the gaming space.
 
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