Forbes backs Apple to challenge DS

By Games Industry.biz Published 6 June, 2008

Ahead of anticipated App Store launch.

Forbes is anticipating that Apple will launch the long-promised App Store feature next week, allowing outside developers to sell iPhone and iPod Touch applications - potentially positioning the company as a new and dangerous foe for Nintendo's DS handheld, GamesIndustry.biz reports.

The magazine's analysis notes that developers continue to create ever more sophisticated games for Nintendo's four year-old handheld, and that Apple has struggled with gaming on the Mac. Nevertheless, the author thinks Apple may be a threat due to the fact that the company's products have both a touch-screen interface and motion-sensing accelerometers - features which have been popular separately with the DS and the Wii.

In addition, the ability to download software into the iPhone wirelessly may be a selling point for developers. The DS allows users to run demo versions of games downloaded from special retail kiosks and other users, and in some cases supports wireless multiplayer games using a single game card, but the storage is only temporary.

Apple introduced an iPhone development kit earlier this year, showing versions of Super Monkey Ball and Spore running on the device during a demonstration of the technology.

Only time will tell if the multi-touch screen and accelerometers, third party support and a huge installed base will make gaming a success on Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch - but even so, the company is unlikely to significantly threaten Nintendo any time soon. After all, Sony's PSP - which offers multimedia and phone capabilities similar to Apple's products - hasn't caught up with sales of the DS in the three years that it has been on the market.

For more armchair analysis, check out GamesIndustry.biz' editorial on the subject.

Picture of Games.

About Games Industry.biz

Read more articles from Games by visiting the Games Industry.biz archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (16) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Xerx3s #1 4 years ago

    I doubt that it will be a rival. First of all, they are different markets, second there are only so many mac zealots while the ds is for everyone and third they are in completely different prices ranges (not a doubt in my mind that nintendo can easily shave off 50 euro without making a loss if they need to).

    It will sell to the same peeps who buy everything mac and will obviously attract new customers but it will never reach ds levels.

  • peterfll #2 4 years ago

    @Xerx3s I agree.

    But I am interested to see what the iPhone is capable of. I remember reading somewhere, some time ago that it's supposed to rival the PSP in terms of technical capabilities, but I have no idea how true that is.

  • 3william56 #3 4 years ago

    Bit more expensive than a DS, no?
    And no joypad or buttons of any description = rubbish for most gaming unless you give most of the screen over to controls.

    I'm sure that there will be some decent games, but rival the DS or PSP? Not a chance.

  • keyboardmonkey #4 4 years ago

    It will sell to the same peeps who buy everything mac and will obviously attract new customers but it will never reach ds levels.

    ^^^^

    Totally agree.

    I don't see how it will really rival the DS. The DS is built as a handheld games machine, most games don't just use the touch screen.

  • erp #5 4 years ago

    It hasn't got a D-pad or buttons. It's not going to happen.

    As snazzy as Apple's touch interfaces are, they're not a universal solution to all user interface requirements, and this is particularly true when talking about games.

  • penhalion #6 4 years ago

    On which planet could a super expensive ipod compete with a dedicated cheap games system?

    Sometimes I wonder what the heck these idiotic analysis companies and people are smoking. Then I realise that drug dealers can't exist without clients...nuff said.

  • septimus #7 4 years ago

    It is one of the better things I'm looking forward to from WWDC. I quite like my iPhone, the lack of 3G doesn't hurt most of the time... but I may upgrade if the v2 is so much better. At least you can just buy it and swap sims.

  • kobashi #8 4 years ago

    LOL at this article. Some people really have not got a clue what they are talking about. Ipod touch/phone have got no chance getting anywhere near the DS.

    Remember when people were saying N-gage was gonna compete with the GBA or PSP was gonna kill the DS.. :)

  • coojam #9 4 years ago

    "LOL at this article. Some people really have not got a clue what they are talking about. Ipod touch/phone have got no chance getting anywhere near the DS. "

    One question. Why?

    Sorry, this isn't at you in particular, but are people so short sighted to think "gaming" needs a D Pad and buttons to function? Nintendo released a console a couple of years ago that manages just that, it's called something like Wii I think. I hear that's been pretty successful.

    What if Apple's touch interface is the next big gaming innovation? I don't really like Apple, but it could happen.

    edit: typo
    Edited by 1 at 06/06/08 @ 11:24

  • hoster #10 4 years ago



    Meh. Too expensive for the pokemon generation and too techy for the richard-&-Judy demographic that buy DSes for brain training, a niche games platform. still, portable Marathon for the win eh?

  • Bitkari #11 4 years ago

    Sorry, this isn't at you in particular, but are people so short sighted to think "gaming" needs a D Pad and buttons to function? Nintendo released a console a couple of years ago that manages just that, it's called something like Wii I think. I hear that's been pretty successful.

    You've not actually used a Wii Remote before have you?


    I'm not saying that you can't make a fun game using only a touch screen and a tilt sensor, but having those as your sole input mechanisms is incredibly limiting.

    The difference between the DS and the iPhone/iPod is that the DS is designed explicitly to play games. It's not a media player, it's not a mobile phone, it's a game console.

    I'm sure that Apple will sell a good amount of games on their device, and all power to them. However, they're not going to challenge the DS in portable gaming, no matter how many business analysts yap on to the contrary.

  • PiranhaUK #12 4 years ago

    Bit more expensive than a DS, no?

    Not if you believe the rumours of the iPhone price dropping to £100 from O2. Also Apple have begun licencing the phone to more than one carrier in some territories which will itself encourage greater subsidizing by the networks....

    I dont think it will ever compete on a par with DS but just remember how many people played snake on Nokia phones and you can imagine a future where many many millions of people will use their iPhone for casual games...

  • Feanor #13 4 years ago

    "Sorry, this isn't at you in particular, but are people so short sighted to think "gaming" needs a D Pad and buttons to function? Nintendo released a console a couple of years ago that manages just that, it's called something like Wii I think. I hear that's been pretty successful."

    Classic self-ownage. Actually have a look at a Wiimote sometime, will ya.

  • VMerken #14 4 years ago

    Oh you mean those buttons and cross thingies... I heard they're for the old folks, who have trouble adapting to the awesome and absolutely state of the art new gen controls of "holding a stick in the air" which is of course completely different from the highly outdated "holding a lightgun in the air" schtick. Gosh darnit!
    Edited by 2 at 06/06/08 @ 20:06

  • Xerx3s #15 4 years ago

    "On which planet could a super expensive ipod compete with a dedicated cheap games system? "

    A planet filled with people who don't know better than mac?

  • wizbob #16 4 years ago

    I'd love to know what those analysts said about the prospects for Apples last console, the Pippin. I already wish I had not dignified this article with a response.