What Do Gamers Need to Know about the New iPhone?

[Doctor Setebos]

Unless you live under a rock (or just don't care too much about Apple products) you may have noticed that Apple's annual WW Developer's Conference was today. This is the conference where Steve Jobs struts out on stage, boasts about amazing Apple iPod, Macbook, and iTunes sales, and shows off the latest obscenely-overpriced techno-gadgetry that the Mac faithful will purchase regardless of how negligently incremental the available featureset may be.

Brandon Boyer at Offworld (http://offworld.com) runs down all the announcements that might in some way make gamers happy (or sad, depending on your particular situation). Including the gaming potential for the new iPhone 3GS.

Apple touted the fact that the 3GS will load SimCity 2.4 times faster than the original iPhone (among other 2-3x improvements), will support OpenGL|ES, and will include new hardware like a 3 megapixel camera (with tap-to-focus capabilities, better low-light shots, etc) and 30fps VGA video recording (with integrated YouTube uploads), a digital compass, and voice activated commands.

Source - Offworld (http://www.offworld.com/2009/06/the-4-things-gamers-need-to-kn.html)

(And before you ask; yes, all my bitter resentment towards Apple is completely grounded in the fact that I cannot afford their products.)

[Narradisall]

I have an iphone 3G. I doubt I'd upgrade to a 3GS without some huge improvements (plus I've had mine like 3 months). Im a tad worried they seem to be bringing out new iphones at a rate of one every 6 months. Thats a record for even Apple.

I'll probably wait till mine dies a slow death and won't replace the thing for years to come anyway.

[jeffbax]

I have an iphone 3G. I doubt I'd upgrade to a 3GS without some huge improvements (plus I've had mine like 3 months). Im a tad worried they seem to be bringing out new iphones at a rate of one every 6 months. Thats a record for even Apple.

I'll probably wait till mine dies a slow death and won't replace the thing for years to come anyway.
Apple's product cycle is almost exactly 6 months, this isn't anything new, and the last hardware upgrade was a year ago - not 6 months.

[Grifter]

What I don't understand is why 3G users can't get a software based voice dialing option. That's the one thing in the new 3GS I would really like.

[BabyJesus]

What I don't understand is why 3G users can't get a software based voice dialing option. That's the one thing in the new 3GS I would really like.

Really.. Every phone I have had the last 2-3 years has had it, it can't be that hard to get working.

Now I have one of these.. http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=4686

And its the best verizon phone I have had in a looooong time, and I have gone through 7 or 8 since in the last 3 years.

Its nice to only pay $39 a month instead of the $80 plus the iphone commands.

[jeffbax]

What I don't understand is why 3G users can't get a software based voice dialing option. That's the one thing in the new 3GS I would really like.

Maybe there is different Mic hardware that has less impact on battery drain when waiting for input? Not sure... but the 3GS is supposed to have a better battery. Could also be a ram/cpu thing?

[Wraith]

I wonder how the performance of the new 3GS hardware compares to the 2G Touch (http://smokingapples.com/iphone/ipod-touch-2g-processor-faster-than-iphone/). And how long we'll wait before Apple drops the prices on the Touch so they're more in line with the new iPhone lineup.

[BabyJesus]

I wonder how the performance of the new 3GS hardware compares to the 2G Touch (http://smokingapples.com/iphone/ipod-touch-2g-processor-faster-than-iphone/). And how long we'll wait before Apple drops the prices on the Touch so they're more in line with the new iPhone lineup.

The probably won't change the price much because the cost of the iphone is subsidized by the monthly service fee.

[Wraith]

The probably won't change the price much because the cost of the iphone is subsidized by the monthly service fee.The old iPhone lineup was subsidized, too. I don't think carriers are all of a sudden subsidizing $100 more on a 16GB iPhone 3Gs than on the old 3G. Apple dropped the price. They can do it on the Touch, too.

[Stoke]

AT&T really needs to get their shit together. All I wanted from the new software was MMS support and now everyone seems to have it but the US which will get it "later this summer."

[Nura]

Great, and i just paid 445$ to get my 3G "repaired"!

[Xerxes]

What Do Gamers Need to Know about the New iPhone?

It's still limited to At&t and It's not a PSP or DS. :)

[ElektroDragon]

They need to know it's from Apple, and Apple makes overpriced fashion hardware for the "more money than brains" crowd. No offense to any Apple fans here. There are always exceptions.... I think.

[KamaItachi]

What I'd like ot know is what advantages does this new iPhone have over, say a train, which I could also easily afford.

[Urizen]

I'm an HTC man, myself.

Dash, Wing, Dream.

I fully expect Android phones to give the iPhone a serious run for their money. If the marketplace is the lynch pin then Google is catching up fast. Apple has a lead in installed base and marketing, but that's it. Smartphones are here to stay as gaming devices, but I don't think Apple is going to be the dominant player.

[Orca]

They really pitched old concepts as new? I mean I've had voice dialing on my phone for four or five years now, and 'tethering' as well - though I didn't have a name for it.

[Inspector Fowler]

I envy the iPhone for its "side" features. The GPS, web browsing, and media features are nice but I need the easy and fast e-mail and calendar integration with Outlook from my work. I can't type for shit on the iPhone's keyboard.

That said, if they actually opened up to other phone companies (I love Verizon, never had a problem) I would still be thinking about it for my New Every 2 thingy.

[Grifter]

I'm an HTC man, myself.

Dash, Wing, Dream.

I fully expect Android phones to give the iPhone a serious run for their money. If the marketplace is the lynch pin then Google is catching up fast. Apple has a lead in installed base and marketing, but that's it. Smartphones are here to stay as gaming devices, but I don't think Apple is going to be the dominant player.

I love HTC's phones unfortunately AT&T stopped selling them once they got the iPhone leaving us with pretty much only one choice for a media smart phone.

[Gormanimal]

I'm an HTC man, myself.

Dash, Wing, Dream.

I fully expect Android phones to give the iPhone a serious run for their money. If the marketplace is the lynch pin then Google is catching up fast. Apple has a lead in installed base and marketing, but that's it. Smartphones are here to stay as gaming devices, but I don't think Apple is going to be the dominant player.

I'm in a tough spot, as the HTC Dream and Magic just made it to Canada and now the 3GS. I'm still not convinced Google has the structure to push the iPhone out. They're going to have an app store, but with so many different models of phones there are bound to be compatibility issues, etc. That's the draw of the iPhone: they're all the same so they all work.

[MagGnome]

I was dead set on getting an iPhone a year ago, but now I'm leaning more and more towards the G1 or another Android phone. I won't be buying a smartphone until next year at the earliest, so I still have plenty of time to decide.

[MosBen]

I'm on Sprint and haven't really had a problem, so I'm stuck with my Instinct. It's not a bad phone really, but it really isn't quite up to par on the iPhone and the lack of apps is pretty disappointing.

[JayVe]

MosBen, get a Pre.

[jeffbax]

They need to know it's from Apple, and Apple makes overpriced fashion hardware for the "more money than brains" crowd. No offense to any Apple fans here. There are always exceptions.... I think.

Sorry, but spending a little more to save time and frustration is a fair trade off for Apple goods. Fashion hardware is an utterly bullshit claim, probably made by someone who hasn't even owned a piece of Apple gear.

The iPhone, while not having done everything perfect, has still turned the mobile industry on its head and you'd be foolish to not recognize that. Apple shifted the power from the carrier to the device maker, and everyone benefits from that whether they buy an iPhone or not.

[Xerxes]

Sorry, but spending a little more to save time and frustration is a fair trade off for Apple goods. Fashion hardware is an utterly bullshit claim, probably made by someone who hasn't even owned a piece of Apple gear.

The iPhone, while not having done everything perfect, has still turned the mobile industry on its head and you'd be foolish to not recognize that. Apple shifted the power from the carrier to the device maker, and everyone benefits from that whether they buy an iPhone or not.

Huh?
:confused:

[jeffbax]

Huh?
:confused:

Am I speaking Greek, or do you just know not know much about the mobile industry?

Before the iPhone carriers dominated the phone specs and hardware. Verizon always ended up crippling features like Bluetooth, forcing you to rebuy software between every phone, making you use their shitty phone OS... see the original Razr release among others. Manufacturer's were always at the mercy of the carrier in determining what the phone could actually do. With the iPhone, Apple pretty much had free reign and broke the software from the carrier entirely. Now Verizon (who had first shot at the iPhone contract but said no because of their inability to control Apple) and others scramble to try to get a phone in the same league (and less carrier control). This means better phones all around for everyone.

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/wireless/magazine/16-02/ff_iphone etc

[ElektroDragon]

Is it possible to get one of these fancy smartphones with web, GPS, little apps, maybe games, etc and NOT spend more than $20 a month on a contract if I talk very infrequently? I mean I don't really talk to anyone, but I would love me some 3G mobile web a nice big screen of at least iPhone size. Since I never talk to anyone but my wife on the cell phone and hate phone contracts, I've been dealing with Virgin and now Boost pre-paid toy phones for years.

[Narradisall]

Apple's product cycle is almost exactly 6 months, this isn't anything new, and the last hardware upgrade was a year ago - not 6 months.

I always thought it was exactly 1 year, around August each year.

I do find the Apple hate amusing. With the exception of the ipod this is the only other Apple product I've owned, and I bought it as it was easy to combine my phone and ipod into one easier to carry item. Once I shifted my old phone and ipod it cost me little to upgrade.

Only problem I have is itunes sucks balls.

[MachEnergy]

Is it possible to get one of these fancy smartphones with web, GPS, little apps, maybe games, etc and NOT spend more than $20 a month on a contract if I talk very infrequently? I mean I don't really talk to anyone, but I would love me some 3G mobile web a nice big screen of at least iPhone size. Since I never talk to anyone but my wife on the cell phone and hate phone contracts, I've been dealing with Virgin and now Boost pre-paid toy phones for years.

That's what really gets me, too. Over 90% of my talk time is with my wife, who (like me) is with AT&T, so we talk for free. My regular minutes are almost entirely left to roll over to the next month, where they are left to rot and slowly die 365 days later. I'm totally fine paying $40/mo for a data plan, because I freaking use the hell out of it. However, it sure would be nice if they let me choose a lesser minutes package.

I've been using a Samsung BlackJack II for almost 2 years now. I'm so sick of Windows Mobile, and I cannot wait for this new generation of iphone to come out.

[MagGnome]

Is it possible to get one of these fancy smartphones with web, GPS, little apps, maybe games, etc and NOT spend more than $20 a month on a contract if I talk very infrequently? I mean I don't really talk to anyone, but I would love me some 3G mobile web a nice big screen of at least iPhone size. Since I never talk to anyone but my wife on the cell phone and hate phone contracts, I've been dealing with Virgin and now Boost pre-paid toy phones for years.

I'm pretty sure that you can get a data-only plan at certain carriers, such as T-Mobile. You could buy the G1 and then just have the data plan, which is around $20-$30 a month.

I'm not 100% certain on this, but you can easily go to T-Mobiles website, select the G1, set up a plan, and see what your options are without actually buying one.

[Ghostbear]

I plan on picking one of these up come August (when I can afford it) I don't need many smartphone features, but the social network integration along with some games really appeals to me.

[TKO]

I envy the iPhone for its "side" features. The GPS, web browsing, and media features are nice but I need the easy and fast e-mail and calendar integration with Outlook from my work. I can't type for shit on the iPhone's keyboard.
Well, the 3.0 release puts the landscape keyboard into all the major apps, so that should help ya. Possibly the Palm Pre is what you need if you really need a tactile keyboard. I'm not sure what its exchange capabilities are like though. (Love the way iPhone does exchange. Very well done.)

..for me though, after a week or two that freaky feeling of 'typing on nothing' goes away, you get to trust the correction algorithms (which are very good) and typing is fast. And now that I'm hooked on the Apps and other cool capabilities of the device, only way this phone is leaving me is when I upgrade. :D

That said, if they actually opened up to other phone companies (I love Verizon, never had a problem) I would still be thinking about it for my New Every 2 thingy.
Yeah, I'm not hearing much good about AT&T. Lets hope that exclusivity deal isn't too long. Here I've got Vodafone, and though they regularly swing between being assholes or morons, at least their coverage is good, as is their global roaming. ..all the cell companies seem to rape our wallet on a regular basis, but I just try not to think about that and keep to my happy place. ;)

[J Arcane]

Am I speaking Greek, or do you just know not know much about the mobile industry?

Before the iPhone carriers dominated the phone specs and hardware. Verizon always ended up crippling features like Bluetooth, forcing you to rebuy software between every phone, making you use their shitty phone OS... see the original Razr release among others. Manufacturer's were always at the mercy of the carrier in determining what the phone could actually do. With the iPhone, Apple pretty much had free reign and broke the software from the carrier entirely. Now Verizon (who had first shot at the iPhone contract but said no because of their inability to control Apple) and others scramble to try to get a phone in the same league (and less carrier control). This means better phones all around for everyone.

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/wireless/magazine/16-02/ff_iphone etc
Yeah, and that's why you can only buy approved apps direct from the Apple Store as opposed to downloading whatever you want from the internet like I used to on my T-Mobile phone!

Oh wait . . .

Give me a fucking break. Compared to proper open platforms like Windows Mobile, Palm, Qtopia, Symbian, etc. etc., the iPhone is a fucking gimped joke. Claiming they're some great fucking champion of independence in mobile phones, when they have a complete monopoly on the supply of apps, is utter bullshit on it's face. Until Apple pulls head from ass and makes a proper, non-jailed iPhone/iTouch, they can get bent.

[jeffbax]

Yeah, and that's why you can only buy approved apps direct from the Apple Store as opposed to downloading whatever you want from the internet like I used to on my T-Mobile phone!

Oh wait . . .

Give me a fucking break. Compared to proper open platforms like Windows Mobile, Palm, Qtopia, Symbian, etc. etc., the iPhone is a fucking gimped joke. Claiming they're some great fucking champion of independence in mobile phones, when they have a complete monopoly on the supply of apps, is utter bullshit on it's face. Until Apple pulls head from ass and makes a proper, non-jailed iPhone/iTouch, they can get bent.

I didn't claim it wasn't controlled, or that the approval process was perfect (it isn't) but sorry - Windows Mobile / Palm / Symbian development was/is a joke compared to what you can be done with Cocoa Touch, draconian approval process or not.

I claimed it broke carrier control, which it did by and large, and the whole industry has benefited. The vitriol this place spits at Apple is simply hilarious sometimes.

That said, having a single Application store is clearly not bullshit, and has been quite successful - otherwise you wouldn't have Microsoft, RIM, Palm, and every other manufacturer under the sun scrambling to copy it.

[J Arcane]

I claimed it broke carrier control, which it did by and large, and the whole industry has benefited. The vitriol this place spits at Apple is simply hilarious sometimes.


And as someone who's been using Apple's since he was a lad, I find your level of utter fanboyism and ridiculous exaggeration to be far beyond hilarious.

[Wraith]

A bit of info about the new CPU and GPU in the iPhone (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=15383), on DailyTech.

[TrackZero]

I have an iphone 3G. I doubt I'd upgrade to a 3GS without some huge improvements (plus I've had mine like 3 months). Im a tad worried they seem to be bringing out new iphones at a rate of one every 6 months. Thats a record for even Apple.

I'll probably wait till mine dies a slow death and won't replace the thing for years to come anyway.

Ditto, I just got mine last month, "knowing" that it'd be a while until the new iPhone was released (late summer at the earliest from what people were speculating). Well, I just got screwed, thanks Apple.

[TrackZero]

Maybe there is different Mic hardware that has less impact on battery drain when waiting for input? Not sure...

No, because it only does the input when you hold down the home button. And I use my iPhone as a voice recorder too through an app, lasts for hours.