Is the iPhone Going to Kill the PSP?
iPhone vs DS vs PSP?
There’s a line between mobile gaming and portable handheld gaming devices that has been made a lot finer since the iPhone joined the scene – now it’s becoming increasingly difficult to judge which side of that line the powerful handset falls…
The question is, is the iPhone competition for the likes of the N-Gage or are we seeing a new PSP killer?
I think it’s fair to say that the iPhone has taken the mobile gaming market by storm and can safely be placed on a level above the others in the struggling market. However is it ready to be compared with the big boys like the PSP or the Nintendo DS? I think so…
iPhone users download an equal amount to the rest of handset users…
Towards the end of 2008 figures were showing that around 13 million people around the world had bought an iPhone – compared to around 1.1 billion users who have other handsets this figure is fairly impressive.
However when you think that iPhone users have downloaded around the same amount of software as the rest of the handset users, according to Pelago CEO Jeff Holden – now that is impressive.
Obviously the attention to software downloads was clearly sparked by the addition of the AppStore but with that, perhaps by accident, the launch of a gaming console occurred.
iPhone selling faster than DS in its prime…
The iPhone is now on track to sell 40 million units within its first year alone…when you think that the Nintendo DS took 18 months to hit that figure between 2007 and mid-2008 you can understand how the iPhone is planning on causing some problems for the handheld market.
Many analysts are claiming that the iPhone is set to bring about the demise of the PSP and inflict some true damage to the DS.
“Why would I ever build for anything but the iPhone?” said Holden who is clearly impressed with the reach of the console, never mind the 70/30 split that developers receive for placing their apps on the store – the 70 going to the developer of course.
Where does the iPhone fall?
But which side of the line do you think the iPhone should fall? Are you behind the PSP and the DS who’s sole responsibility is to bring you top class portable gaming or do you think the iPhone, which is a blend of Smartphone and gaming console, stands a chance of competing with the big boys?
It’s fair to say that the gaming experiences differ between the two classes of consoles, but which do you feel will be on top in 2010?
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