Analyst says Apple to enter games market

by Andrew Yoon { Dec 9th 2006 at 5:00AM }

Sony has always attempted to distance itself from Nintendo's DS, reminding consumers that the PSP is more than a gaming machine: it's also a portable media player. According to a Prudential analyst, Jesse Tortora, Apple may want to head into the handheld game battle, with iPod in hand. The iPod has successfully removed Sony's dominance in portable music players, after Sony failed to progress its Walkman and Connect properties. If Apple joins the portable gaming scene, it will be the portable media player that also happens to play video games. "We think the video game market represents a distinct possibility for Apple, especially considering that it recently announced the availability of video games for its iPod through its iTunes store," the analyst said.

With an ever increasing supply of movies and television shows on iTunes, and a mass market acceptance of Apple design (look at Nintendo's success with the DS Lite, a product that looks to mimic Apple's signature style), a widescreen gaming iPod may sway over the hearts of PSP gamers and non-gamers alike. Certainly, many have criticized Sony's lack of a hard drive in the PSP, and sometimes poor media performance. If Apple did come into market with a media and games machine, do you think Sony would have something to be afraid of?

[Via GameDaily]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

but face @ Dec 9th 2006 5:56AM

ITUNES

Jason @ Dec 9th 2006 6:48AM

Apple getting into the handheld gaming fray would be as futile as Nokia's Ngage attempt. Apple made about $13bln in 2005, whereas Nokia raked in $45bln, the majority from producing small consumer electronics. I think the biggest stumbling block there was a lack of support from major game publishers. Judging by Apple's past history with games and Mac OS, I doubt Apple has the necessary industry connections and expertise to make a handheld fly out of the gate. Nor do they have the deep coffers of Microsoft to fight a war of attrition.

Instead, I think a sounder strategy would be for Apple to partner with Nintendo on an iPod/DS (iPoDS?) hybrid machine. It wouldn't be the first time a Nintendo product was produced in conjunction with another company (i.e. Panasonic Q), and their general aesthetic designs are already pretty similar. But then again theres also no real good business reason for two market leading products to embark on such a project. Its just added development cost, risk, and brand dilution.

pixelator @ Dec 9th 2006 9:51AM

Why is this article saying 'might' or 'maybe' when Apple already has games on iTunes for the iPOD?

Until they release a MUCH more gaming friendly device (sorry, games with the present input disc suck utterly and completely), the iPOD is just another handheld that just so happens to also play games, like a cell phone.

T @ Dec 9th 2006 12:31PM

They are like any big company, they want it all.
iGames lol

Alien @ Dec 9th 2006 2:08PM

This would be interesting , but they will probably stick just to mobile-phone like games :)

Ladsaber @ Dec 9th 2006 2:22PM

The thing is that the ipod is friggin expensive for a media device,if the price doesnt go up to 300$ count me in.Yet theres some issues that you should consider like the companies that are signing in with them.A system without games will never sell look at the ngage 9 games and all of them sucked big time.

I dont know what companies will sign in with them but im going to keep an eye on this.