Apple Slams Sony and Nintendo Handhelds
Fighting talk from the music player manufacturer.
Apple's charge into the portable games market continues in full force, as yesterday it took a swipe at Sony and Nintendo during the "It's Only Rock And Roll" conference.
This comes shortly after Sony Europe's head of developer relations, Zeno Colaco, accused Apple of not supporting developers.
At the event, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller, compared the PSP and Nintendo DS to the iPod Touch, claiming that the handhelds "don't stack up". To support this, he went on to mention that games available for Sony and Nintendo's machines were too expensive and paled in number to Apple's offering - 21,178 via its App Store, compared to 607 PSP and 3,680 DS releases.
Schiller mentioned that the big positives going for the iPod Touch included its inexpensive game range, multi-touch interface, App Store and the fact that the competitors are "no iPods". Sony is set to counter Apple's downloadable game threat with the introduction of Minis on the PSP however - offering bite-sized product for a similar cost. Many iPhone and iPod Touch developers are looking towards Sony's offering, and the Japanese electronics company recently implied that the PSP is a pure gaming device.
Apple also revealed updated and re-priced versions of its iPod Touch and iPod Nano range, which pitches the products at a competitive value against the DS and PSP. Looks like the portable gaming war's really starting to heat up.
Source: Engadget (via Kotaku)
This comes shortly after Sony Europe's head of developer relations, Zeno Colaco, accused Apple of not supporting developers.
At the event, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller, compared the PSP and Nintendo DS to the iPod Touch, claiming that the handhelds "don't stack up". To support this, he went on to mention that games available for Sony and Nintendo's machines were too expensive and paled in number to Apple's offering - 21,178 via its App Store, compared to 607 PSP and 3,680 DS releases.
Schiller mentioned that the big positives going for the iPod Touch included its inexpensive game range, multi-touch interface, App Store and the fact that the competitors are "no iPods". Sony is set to counter Apple's downloadable game threat with the introduction of Minis on the PSP however - offering bite-sized product for a similar cost. Many iPhone and iPod Touch developers are looking towards Sony's offering, and the Japanese electronics company recently implied that the PSP is a pure gaming device.
Apple also revealed updated and re-priced versions of its iPod Touch and iPod Nano range, which pitches the products at a competitive value against the DS and PSP. Looks like the portable gaming war's really starting to heat up.
Source: Engadget (via Kotaku)
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Comments
PaulRayment 10 Sep 2009 11:04
1/4
Meh. The hand held market is a strange one. The DS is a winner by a clear mile despite the PSP being a better system. While you could class the Touch as being a gaming system it won't be able to get near the DS and those playing bite-size games from the App Store are not going to be gamers lured away from the PSP.
At the end of the day the Touch interface can't support traditional games, you need the best of both worlds these days as Nintendo has done so well.
As for PSP Go, it is an terrible idea. As MS has shown with its over priced Games on Demand, people don't want to buy full release games on download - especially at the price point of store bought games.i
At the end of the day the Touch interface can't support traditional games, you need the best of both worlds these days as Nintendo has done so well.
As for PSP Go, it is an terrible idea. As MS has shown with its over priced Games on Demand, people don't want to buy full release games on download - especially at the price point of store bought games.i
Joji 10 Sep 2009 14:23
2/4
Apple are clearly in a good postion, and fairplay to them. They'll continue to do well too. Sony I still think might fall flat on their face unless their prices get real for PSP Go. Apple know this is their weakest spot. As fr Nintendo, I feel the are the ones who will be draconian resistent to opening up DS, to like Apple and Sony have with PSP and ipod/phones. The thing is, its the positive change Nintendo need, to keep homebrew/indie onside. They'll see that soon I hope, as while Wii Ware is nice (and still somewhat locked down, like a virgin's chastity belt), there's still not the same thing for DS.
DS is still the winner, because of better games and better advertising. Developers will stick more with it, because they need to sell its games at £25, to get their costs back. There will be pressure for Nintendo to lower the price of DS games, which would be a good thing for us, as they stay expensive for far too long. iPhone/touch is a good alternative, but many devs/pubs want to test the water first.
Just makes you wonder, doesn't it? If Apple could have this much impact with iPod phone/touch, which aren't proper gaming devices, just imagine how they'd shake up the market, if they entered the home console arena. Never say never. I never thought MS would enter once upon a time, and look at them now. I'd find it very hard to live without my 360 and Live now.
The thought of an Apple home console, that you could also code for, and sell your wares through, is mouthwatering indeed. If this were to happen, I expect Apple would want to move before MS get their next box out.
DS is still the winner, because of better games and better advertising. Developers will stick more with it, because they need to sell its games at £25, to get their costs back. There will be pressure for Nintendo to lower the price of DS games, which would be a good thing for us, as they stay expensive for far too long. iPhone/touch is a good alternative, but many devs/pubs want to test the water first.
Just makes you wonder, doesn't it? If Apple could have this much impact with iPod phone/touch, which aren't proper gaming devices, just imagine how they'd shake up the market, if they entered the home console arena. Never say never. I never thought MS would enter once upon a time, and look at them now. I'd find it very hard to live without my 360 and Live now.
The thought of an Apple home console, that you could also code for, and sell your wares through, is mouthwatering indeed. If this were to happen, I expect Apple would want to move before MS get their next box out.
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config 10 Sep 2009 15:30
3/4
I wonder if the 21,178 app store figure de-dupes the free and premium versions. Still, most of the stuff of app store is s**t. Not saying it's bad - I love app store, it's just a bugger to mine effectively and weed out the 95% s**te. Of course, there's an app for that..
Way 11 Sep 2009 04:09
4/4
Pure or not, maybe the GS is a better gaming machine, but lacks controls/slideout keyboard (see Linux/emulated below games) for easy translation of existing software. It would be nice if a Linux/Java VM that ran software sold through the store was available, even other emulators.
I understand that Apple has been working on intentions to enter the market.
I don't know much about the App store, but I saw a report on good publisher titles getting lost among the many cheap others. If they do have a premium section would help, they could select or have people vote in software. All the publishers need to do is advertise and promote like they always do normally (through the app store if possible and Apple also make revenue that way).
I understand that Apple has been working on intentions to enter the market.
I don't know much about the App store, but I saw a report on good publisher titles getting lost among the many cheap others. If they do have a premium section would help, they could select or have people vote in software. All the publishers need to do is advertise and promote like they always do normally (through the app store if possible and Apple also make revenue that way).