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Mar 10, 08 - 12:25 pm Comment from: Ampar

"Gameloft promises 15 iPhone games in 2008"
"Gameloft, currently one of the major publishers of games for the iPod classic, nano and 5G, has announced its intentions to both develop and publish for the iPhone platform. The news follows Apple's preview of the App Store and SDK, and announcements from other game companies, including Sega and Electronic Arts as well as Freeverse. Development teams at Gameloft are already said to be at work on some 15 titles, taking advantage of features such as the touchscreen, accelerometer and 3D processor."

(source: macnn.com)

Looking forward to creative awesomeness on the iPhone and Touch =)

The DS, PSP are platforms with specs that won't change for a few years. This helps developers develop for a static platform. I hope Apple doesn't upgrade too much, too soon or allows for publishers to develop very easily to account for changing specs.

I heard developers gripe that they developed games for the ipod, then with an upgrade, things changed.

Mar 10, 08 - 12:29 pm Comment from: Jay-Z

It's not just gaming - it's mobile computing. Other "smart"phone vendors, including RIM and its Blackberry, don't stand a chance.

I like RIM and see their vision as much higher intuitive than anything MicroSoft can deliver. But, I can't see them doing much more than an iPhone clone longterm. I think they will really try hard to compete well, but the iPhone now seems so far ahead and all the ducks are lined up so straight that there is so fewer hurdles longterm. The rest of the world iPhone sales is going to dwarf US sales down the road. Japan needs to be catered to first, as they demand and set the standards as always, then move into China, which tries to copy every Japan does. There's going to be alot of Apple corporate offices opening overseas in the near future and Jobs will be over there alot more than over here initially.

Mar 10, 08 - 12:49 pm Comment from: JAYGEE

I was considering getting an iPod Touch, but not if they're going to charge for every big update. I don't think it is fair for the customers. I know there is a law, but is this law just in America? If so, why do non-Americans have to pay it as well?

Mar 10, 08 - 01:02 pm Comment from: KingMel

@JAYGEE
The update fees are definitely not welcomed by Apple enthusiasts who have become accustomed to significant updates in functionality for free. But I cannot recall another company who has provided comparable improvements in the functionality of their products, free or paid.

The iPod Touch update provided much more functionality than was ever promised by Apple when it was sold. The fact that consumers have come to expect functional upgrades of Apple products at no cost is the source of the occasional distress for paid updates. If a product, such at the Touch, does what you want it to do for what you perceive to be a reasonable price, then you should buy it and enjoy it. If an update comes along that meets those same criteria, then you should pay for the upgrade, but you can always stick with the product that you originally purchased.

Mar 10, 08 - 01:19 pm Comment from: Luke N

Alright so I've been hearing this since 1.1.2 that we're going to have to pay for the next update and I think that we're going to have to pay at all I see coming is the same thing coming as with ipods they'll make a new model and no updates will come out for the old ones ...or at least I'm hoping

I paid $20 for the Touch upgrade and it's worth it. I went on a two week trip overseas recently and I could check my email in numerous wifi cafés having a beer and enjoying the sun instead of going to an internet cafe and having to struggle with Internet Explorer on a Window machine and pay them a few dollar eachtime. My upgrade is already paid for.

Well, smart people buy a touch for what it can do, not for what it might be able to do eventually, maybe.

If you buy it and it works for you, fine. If an upgrade comes out, you can decide if it works for you or not.

Nobody is forcing you to buy the upgrade.

Mar 10, 08 - 02:15 pm Comment from: GranitW

You know everyone is now blogging or writing articles about the iPhone as a gaming machine after the Demo Apple, Sega, and EA did.

I was a blogger that saw the iPhone as a gaming machine months before. Stacking it's specs against the Sony PSP.

Mar 10, 08 - 02:55 pm Comment from: Big Al

@ JAYGEE

Compare the iPod touch upgrade fees to the monthly ATand T bill and STFU.

Mar 10, 08 - 02:56 pm Comment from: HolyMackerel

How long until the Newton emulator is available? Or the Palm skin?

Mar 10, 08 - 03:02 pm Comment from: JAYGEE

@Big Al

I think my comment made it clear I don't live in America, so why would I compare it to a AT&T;bill?

Why should I have to pay the iPod Touch fee, when I live in a country that this law, that says you have to pay for upgrades, doesn't exist?

@ JAYGEE

The problem is that Apple is a US company and has to account for their profits, even from abroad. It also is not fair to have only US customers pay for updates yet everyone else gets it for free. Again, by the devise for what it can do for you now. If an update comes along that you like, then buy it. You can think of the updates for iPod Touch like Mac OS updates, large ones you pay for and small ones are free.

Mar 10, 08 - 03:43 pm Comment from: DogGone

Usually Apple product upgrades apply to the newly released products only. To get that functionality you would need to buy a new unit.

Now Apple are introducing the concept that a previous model can be upgraded with equivalent features to the new one.

So in some respects this is better since paying $20 now and then is cheaper that having to replacing the unit.

Mar 10, 08 - 04:05 pm Comment from: Anonymous©

@Jaygee, Apple pays taxes to the US Govt. This law applies to Apple's revenues, regardless of where it is earned.

Mar 10, 08 - 04:56 pm Comment from: zmarc

@Future, who's worried about the platform changing underneath game developers:

The original iPod was a closed system -- the internal specs changed as Apple changed the designs. The iPod Touch/iPhone is a *platform* -- it while change similar to how the Mac changes (the API grows more powerful and flexible).

The cool thing is that hopefully developers that start to make great games for iPhone/Touch see how wonderful the Mac APIs are and start to use that experience to create more Mac software as well.

"I guess there could be some amazing games for the iPhone. Imagine a car racing game where we can steer the iPhone as if we're driving the car. Put one finger on the right to accelerate, scroll your finger on the left to change the gear / view, etc. Or they can also make games like Nintendogs, Magical Starsign, or ZooKeeper with ease because they're all touch-based. But with added control, eg: pet your dog with 2 fingers, pinch him or shake your iPhone to beat your dog." (pasted from game forum)

First off, Apple has a right to charge me for an upgrade, but don't expect me to be like it. Of course I'd like it for free. I'd like to enjoy this journey of seeing where the "iPod Touch Story" leads without being stung for 20 bucks every few months along the way.

But having said that, it's not going to send me broke, and Apple does have the right to be paid for their admittedly impressive work.

And I agree with Colin Campbell. My Touch is the coolest "Thing" in my life. Cooler than my car actually, which is a pain in the butt piece of crap.

Games are nice, but it's not the reason for buying a Touch. If you are a game nut then you are going to buy a PSP or DS... more games, better controls, and cheaper. But still, it'll be nice to download one or two for a little entertainment in moments when I'm bored.

Penelope Pickles,

you wrote
"It also is not fair to have only US customers pay for updates yet everyone else gets it for free."

But it's alright for Apple to charge 40% more for ALL its products to Europeans.

Ughh! You think that's fair?

The Touch is a mobile computer. You must learn to think of it as such. All us macintosh lovers just paid for a major OS upgrade for our 'puters. Your little touch is a mac and you will have to pay for new applications. Think of it as a "purchase" of "iLife08" for your 2003 model mac. It may have come with some stuff, but you know, there is much, much more to come. You did not get a lifetime of free software as part of your purchase.