Pics of iPad App Store appear on net

By Ellie Gibson Published 29 March, 2010

First hints at game prices offered?

The first screenshots of the iPad App Store have apparently leaked onto the internet.

Blogger App Annie posted the shots, along with images of the Top Free and Top Paid chart pages.

If the information on the screenshots is accurate you can expect to pay a bit more for iPad games than you would for iPhone apps. Flight Control HD is listed at $4.99, for example, while Labyrinth 2 HD is priced at $7.99. There are also some free options though, like Manic Marble 2 and Break HD.

So are the screenshots genuine? We'll find out in a few days as the iPad launches in the US on 3rd April.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DrDamn #1 2 years ago

    iPad version of PuzzleManiak? I've sunk hour upon hour into the iPhone version, such incredible value.

  • RodHull #2 2 years ago

    This is the best news ever! I can't wait to get my hands in this oversized iPod touch! It'll be like I'm in Lord of the Rings!

  • Anthony_UK #3 2 years ago

    HD? lol.... The potential of the ipad was enormous, as it is it's borderline pointless. For the top spec model which still has a gimped harddrive will surely be pushing £800 in the UK when it's released. If that's the case.....what really is the point of this thing, it's just crippled in so many ways it's a joke

  • nikobe #4 2 years ago

    Wonder how long after it comes out until someone complains about being mis-sold HD when the iPad doesn't even match the minimum 720p requirement.

    I know HD isn't a brand or standard as such (or PC games for years would have used it) but with such a big product and all the apps jumping at the chance to slap HD on the end its bound to cause a fuss at some point.

  • Banksy #5 2 years ago

    I don't think anyone really knows what to think about the iPad. And I think that could end up being its greatest strength.

  • chukcyQ #6 2 years ago

    HA HA HA HA HA I'm not going to pay more than $0.99 for an iGame...

  • sneetch #7 2 years ago

    Oh come off it guys, "It'll be like I'm in Lord of the Rings!" is comedy gold and you're marking him down?

  • dloob #8 2 years ago

    iPad games! The same games as on your iPod/IPhone but now with a bigger screen and a bigger price tag.

  • paulf #9 2 years ago

    I know they are testing the water with those price tags, but I can't see people paying $5 for those apps/games, the reason iPhone app store has been so successful is the cheap and cheerful price of apps 69p is a good price to just buy something and not really care if it's crap or not

  • DrDamn #10 2 years ago

    @Anthony_UK
    "surely be pushing £800 in the UK when it's released"

    The US price is $829. Find something else Apple sell for about that price on there own store and then check the UK price. You'll find $800 == £660. So pushing £700 would be a more accurate.

    Regarding the gimping/crippling - absolutely but you really don't buy Apple consumer devices if you are concerned about gimping do you. The strengths are in other areas.

  • DrDamn #11 2 years ago

    @paulf
    It depends if the titles have had a the extra work put into them to justify the increase. You do have the option to just buy the iPhone version if there is one too. Larger priced games do sell on the iPhone though - look at the top grossing lists on the Appstore. Monoploy (£3), Street Fighter IV (£6), Sims 3 (£4) all in the top ten.

  • kangarootoo #12 2 years ago

    The proof will be in the pudding. If the price is right, the apps will sell. And no doubt a few commentators will yet again say the apps are selling because the customers are stupid sheep.... rather than just accepting that opinions differ, £3 really isn't very much, and that the customers will probably get more than their monies worth.

  • UncleLou #13 2 years ago

    iPad games! The same games as on your iPod/IPhone but now with a bigger screen and a bigger price tag.

    Yeah, it's like console vs PC gaming. Well, not quite, because the iPad probably is the better gaming experience. :p

  • Jackface #14 2 years ago

    iPad sceptics should read this Newsweek article by Dan Lyons (aka Fake Steve Jobs). It is the most fair and balanced look at the iPad and at Apple that I've read. Don't just read the first page where he praised the iPad and then give up, read the whole thing. You'll love the stuff where he points out how controlling Apple is. You just won't like the bit where he weighs that against the potential of the iPad over the next few years and the iPad wins...

    Edited by Jackface at 29/03/10 @ 18:08

  • PearOfAnguish #15 2 years ago

    I know HD isn't a brand or standard as such (or PC games for years would have used it) but with such a big product and all the apps jumping at the chance to slap HD on the end its bound to cause a fuss at some point.

    It's okay, they can just claim that HD in this case means 'Higher Definition'.

  • GamesConnoisseur #16 2 years ago

    Doesnt meet HD standard as defined by the telly/monitor approach, but to casual eyes the difference between iPhone screen and iPad is certainly massive. Therefore HD could beused with it in term of being the 'higher definition' than iPhone.

    Therefore not a lie!

    Quibbles and I think waste our time arguing about it and a simple 'HD' tag certainly easier to grasp then the 'iPad only' or similar.

  • Jackface #17 2 years ago

    Just so long as everyone's clear that it's not Apple that told everyone to start using 'HD' to tag their games...

  • kangarootoo #18 2 years ago

    HD
    high-definition
    Having enhanced picture quality on a TV or any other display


    Everyone seems to agree there is no proper definition of HD, so how can it be said that this is not "proper HD"? What is proper HD?

  • kangarootoo #19 2 years ago

    Found this about "HD ready" (a proper term)
    [link url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_ready
    ]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_ready
    [/link]

    and also this about "Full HD" (a marketing term)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_HD

  • jonbwfc #20 2 years ago

    @Kangarootoo: Neither of which are what Apple are claiming for the iPad. 'HD' is a marketing term, always has been. Means whatever the company putting it on the box wants it to mean.
    Edited by jonbwfc at 29/03/10 @ 13:11

  • Jackface #21 2 years ago

    Guys, Apple have never said the iPad is HD. This is purely developers wanting to differentiate their iPad apps from their iPod touch apps, and some have gravitated towards HD. Others have used the term 'XL'.
    Edited by Jackface at 29/03/10 @ 13:15

  • Jelly_Head #22 2 years ago

    kangarootoo: Everyone seems to agree there is no proper definition of HD, so how can it be said that this is not "proper HD"? What is proper HD?

    Well, of course, you're never going to get complete agreement on an Internet forum but, thankfully, the people who make televisions, consoles, Blu-ray discs and other HD media seem to agree on a reasonably common standard, which is described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-defini...

  • Jelly_Head #23 2 years ago

    @Jackface

    Good point.

  • Rubarack #24 2 years ago

    Hmm , I wonder if these games are also going to come with significant gameplay and scale improvements to justify the much higher tag, or is it just indicitive of the fact that 59p for Flight Control was an insane bargain?

  • kangarootoo #25 2 years ago

    @Jelly_Head

    Good link, cheers.


    @SHARXTREME

    A few more source links and few less outraged question marks would make your case rather better for you.

  • Onelove1867 #26 2 years ago

    I think the biggest thing to take from these prices is how spoilt people have become with regards to the iPhone pricing.

    59p is a ridiculous price point. Given the choice again, I would gladly pay several times more than that for Doodle Jump and Flight Control again. Just look at bigger franchises too.. GTA Chinatown wars is £5.99 on the App Store, £39.99 on PSP Go, and from a gameplay perspective there's very, very little to split the two.

    It seems like the easiest thing in the world at the moment to take swipes at the iPad. Especially easy given that nobody commenting here has used one. The iPad isn't primarily even a gaming device, gaming is merely one of it's features. Personally, I won't be gaming on the iPad even if I do buy one because it doesn't have the same pick-up-and-play functionality that I love about the iPhone, but for good RTS games or whatever and stuff like Flight Control, the added screen real estate could be a real seller. If SI Games make a Football Manager for it then I'll be sold on that (slightly bumped up version of the PSP one will do, although they could probably do even more than that)

  • Jackface #27 2 years ago

    TO all those wondering about whether there will be enhanced gameplay to justify the higher tag: yes.

    You can play all existing iPod touch apps on the iPad and pay iPod touch prices (or copy them off your iTunes account). Or, you can get properly upgraded versions that have been completely redesigned with new artwork and redesigned interfaces to take advantage of the better screen size.

    Will the prices be worth it for those upgrades? Well that's wholly dependant on the developer isn't it? Some will be, others might not be so much.

    I realise it's much easier to add this to the list of Reasons To Slag Off The iPad but I think it's a bit daft to do so. You could equally have a go at studios who release 'enhanced' versions of their DVD movies on a Blu-Ray and don't add any significant content beyond a few extra pixels of detail...

    No? :)

  • axman303 #28 2 years ago

    For all those harping on about iPad games not being 'true HD', let's not forget that the vast majority of games that come out on PS3 and XBox 360 don't even manage to output anywhere near the 720 lines of vertical resolution needed to be regarded as 'true HD'.
    Edited by axman303 at 29/03/10 @ 16:54

  • ZXSpectrum48K #29 2 years ago

    iPAD will be a HUGE SUCCESS, at the very least from the perspective of a novice computer user.

    Think about it, the average novice computer user has a laptop and only uses it for web and email and possibly some word processing and spreadsheet. Before any of that, they have to learn how to switch it on, use the mouse, navigate through windows, run applications, has spyware thrown at them, windows updates, etc... We take all that for granted, but a lot of people struggle with it.

    Now with the iPAD, its:

    One press of a button to switch it on/off
    One press of an icon to access email
    One press of an icon to access web browser
    Loads of battery life
    Touch control
    Weighs just over a pound in weight so easy to cart around
    Can even run spreadsheets, word processors (Apple iWorks for iPAD)

    It's by no way a replacement for us users who need that extra functionality a laptop can give, but I'm betting for the vast majority of people with laptops - they'll love how easy an iPAD will be to get to grips with.




  • logicub #30 2 years ago

    Of course, the safe assumption is that the name of the app and it's icon is down to the developer, not Apple... No?

    So, who here got this mad when the Zune HD was announed? Yes, I know, it can output a sizable HD file to the right TV, that's hardly justification for including the HD suffix though...

  • bdaggers #31 2 years ago

    Thanks for the Newsweek linky Jackface

  • Simonkey75 #32 2 years ago

    Truly scraping the barrel if you are moaning it doesn't output "true HD" - as loose and wooly a term as has ever been bandied about in the AV world as it is - when the present generation of multi-cored powerhouse consoles can barely output it themselves.

    The iPad - and it's successors from other manufacturers - are going to be huge. And if they reinvigorate and remonetise the publishing and magazine world along the way, then thank fucking christ.

    And give it up about Flash for God's sake - you moan about Apple being a closed system while happily bending over for Adobe to shaft you with poor buggy unoptimised unsafe unnecessary junk simply to watch shitty quality video on the web?

  • Jackface #33 2 years ago

    Numerous websites are having their video redone to work in H.264 mode for HTML5, which has got to be a direct result of the existance of the iPad. That's pretty compelling evidence for the device marking a new dawn in computing.

    Also, in HD news, the rumours are mounting that this summer's inevitable new iPhone will be called 'iPhone HD'... Sharpen your sticks, Apple haterz ;)
    Edited by Jackface at 31/03/10 @ 10:08

  • Les #34 2 years ago

    "I realise it's much easier to add this to the list of Reasons To Slag Off The iPad but I think it's a bit daft to do so."

    Then again, quite a few visitors of the comments sections of Apple related articles are daft themselves so what did you expect? ;)

    But I think it's Apple's fault. I mean, they approve each and every App that gets into the App store and they should have rejected these (if they're not mock-ups) for the misleading use of the term 'HD'. Or not.

  • Jackface #35 2 years ago

    You're not serious, of course. HD just means High Definition. It doesn't relate to any specific resolution officially, just higher than SD, which the iPad is. The new iPhone is likely to be as well, hence iPhone HD.
    Edited by Jackface at 31/03/10 @ 12:08