The iPhone and iPod touch are good gaming platforms, but its not at the same level as the PSP even though I think Apple wants it to be since they focused only on making the new iPod touch a better gaming device with better graphics with the help of it's new processor and didn't put a camera on it. Apple is getting too drawn into the App Store and it's effecting it's new iPod touch with the absence of a camera and microphone. Apple is focusing on making the iPod touch the best gaming device when they're pulling away from the idea of making the best iPod ever.
I think Apple is spot on with that comparison. Using the very same Apple-logic, all Mac & OSX computers are uncool, lame and crappy because the number of software/games available for PCs is many orders of magnitude more. Microsoft +1 Apple -100 Apple eats its own lamesauce.
Not only do 90% of the games on the appstore suck but they will never have as much polish and replay-ability as games on the DS and PSP.
Are you just now realizing Apple's arguments are nothing but arrogant and vague? Did you miss the whole "I'm a Mac I'm a PC" ad campaign?
The best portable gaming device is the one you have with you. For a lot of people, an iPhone is always in their pocket. You can't really say that for a DS/PSP.
lol, $8.99 is a very unpopular price... and yeah apple, i don't think those statistics fooled anyone...not that the iDevice can't compete with the DS and PSP, but basing such a claim on quantity instead of quantity = lame
The iPhone is a good platform for games, but the DS and PSP are on another, higher, level. Which is ok, because the iPhone is an all in one device, while the DS and PSP are dedicated game devices.
To be honest, I laughed at right when he said that. The iPod Touch is nowhere in the leagues of the PSP and DS, it has just gained popularity because it was initially emphasized as a media player device; which has become an 'essential' to most consumers, and supposedly it can pull off some decent games and be the host for a numerous amount of utilitites and 'cool' applications- I mean tech demos now. The iPhone OS is nice, but personally, I believe it will never exceed my expectations of a portable gaming device
Combined, PSP and DS have sold almost 200 million units. The iPhone/touch userbase is almost 50 million strong. Are you really telling me that not even 1/4 of PSP and DS users carry those devices with them always? Honestly now Eli...c'mon. And, once again, in what seems like a never ending occurrence on these boards, I point out: iPhone/touch is NOT in direct competition with PSP or DS. The latter two are portable game systems in the portable game system market. iPhone/touch is a mobile platform in the mobile market. Directly comparing the two is akin to stating that PCs directly compete with video game home consoles. It simply does not hold water. One can perhaps state that the specific submarket iPhone/touch games are in indirect competition with the portable game systems as gamers game on a variety of platforms, but that doesn't hold true for the markets AS A WHOLE. Again, not ALL iPhone/touch users bought their devices with gaming primarily in mind, while ALL PSP and DS users bought their devices with gaming first and foremost on their minds. That shows that Apple's true competition is with other devices with similar "do all" focus, rather than portable game systems which have a specific focus. And while there is SOME overlap in terms of the game consumer market (which, btw, exists for all the different market of the game industry, whether arcade, home console, PC, portable game system, or mobile platform) SOME does not define the market AS A WHOLE. They exist in different markets, folks. Direct comparisons are silly at best, and Apple has fallen into the silliness themselves. The intro of iPhone 3Gs showed the true competition, being the Android, Palm, etc. platforms, and one to come (the soon to be increased Windows Mobile/ZuneHD platform).
Have any statistics you can cite that say they do? I really wish I could understand this fascination with branding items as "x devices" or "y devices". Both the DS and PSP were released on the cusp of the trend of consoles being closer to general purpose entertainment devices instead of just serving one use. Both the PS3 and 360 can do way more than just play games, just like the iPhone. Convergence devices like this are what we're going to be seeing in the future. Both Nintendo and Sony have tried to make the DS and PSP do more by adding things like web browsers or media players. It's not really a secret to anyone that "gaming devices" are on their way out, and are all being replaced with devices that serve a ton of other uses that also can play games.
All that Apple is saying that besides the iPhone/Touch being a portable device, it sure can do heck of a lot more. Sure the games are not as HQ as DS/PSP games but they believe all other hardware features compensate for it. Also, it depends on who that portable person is? Do they want two screens? DS. A mini PS3, psp? or the one with Safari, iTunes, YouTube and other useful apps?
Apple knows exactly what they're doing...it's called marketing. They're pitting the iPhone against the mobile platforms (Android, Palm, etc.) while trying to use "friendly" (read open to interpretation) statistics to promote the Touch as a serious gaming competitor. They know how to play this game, and they know how to use their resources to draw consumers in. After all, how else could they still continue down this path? People buy products based on price, quality, and hype. Apple definitely doesn't have the cheapest prices, so you can decide how the percentage is distributed among the other 2. edit: it sounds like I'm implying that the iPhone and iPod are not "serious" competitors, and that's not what I mean at all. In fact, I think they will only get better at producing quality games, while Sony and Nintendo have a long ways to go before being able to provide all the other services that Apple does with the iDevice.
