NationStates Jolt Archive

Make a games console? Do you think Apple could cut it in the console market. Will it add flavour to the current console war? Will it Pwn all other consoles? Or will Apple stay with its iPods and Macs? Would you ever buy and Apple console?

Think about it Apple is one of the biggest technology companies in the world so IMO it would make sense for it to make a console. I don't know if it would create fierce competition with Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo but you never know.

Hmmm...I'm not going to say no, but I find it unlikely. I think they realise there's too much competition and it wouldn't be worth it. They might have a decent consumer base to sell to, but in the console market, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have a reputation for good product.

Hmmm...I'm not going to say no, but I find it unlikely. I think they realise there's too much competition and it wouldn't be worth it. They might have a decent consumer base to sell to, but in the console market, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have a reputation for good product.



Sony and Microsoft don't have that good of a reputation. Microsofts sytems are full of bugs, even my xbox doesn't read some games and the PS1 and 2 are slow and poorly built. Nintendo had become a running joke.

i would not get one out of principle.


i will however be getting a shiny new x360 as soon as i can (and chipping my current xbox to run linux too :))

It would make sense, but they never seemed to be one to try and get into the gaming market. Computer or otherwise.

i would not get one out of principle.


i will however be getting a shiny new x360 as soon as i can (and chipping my current xbox to run linux too :))


I'd wait. Xbox360 has been known to run poorly and you should wait until the PS3 comes out, that may lower the xbox360's price.

Sony and Microsoft don't have that good of a reputation. Microsofts sytems are full of bugs, even my xbox doesn't read some games and the PS1 and 2 are slow and poorly built. Nintendo had become a running joke.
Maybe not, but the fact they've had a presence in the market for some time would count against Apple, whether or not Apple produce a good quality product. The PS3 could be a pile of shit and it would still sell millions upon millions.

The PS3 could be a pile of shit and it would still sell millions upon millions.

Not at $500 a piece.

Not at $500 a piece.

$600 if you want the non-gimped version.

Maybe not, but the fact they've had a presence in the market for some time would count against Apple, whether or not Apple produce a good quality product. The PS3 could be a pile of shit and it would still sell millions upon millions.


Thats the joke! Sony can do no wrong even when its very wrong.:p

Not at $500 a piece.
You kidding there almost as many sony fanboys as there are apple fanboys

Hmmm I think Apple is a bit to classy to make a gaming system.

It think they enjoy being at the high end of the market in computers and small portable mp3 players.

Coming out with a video game system right now would be extremely difficult, it would require tremendous funds for marketing and they would have to sign a bunch of contracts with the video game developing companies like Activision, EA, Rockstar, etc.
Apple doesn't need that, the system would not do well in initial sales and it would be a detrament to the hip/ youth image that Apple currently sports because of the iPod.

Bill Gates came out with XBOX, it didn't do to well, but who cares about Gates anyway, he's the richest man in America and his company isnt idolized by young people.

Hmmm I think Apple is a bit to classy to make a gaming system.

It think they enjoy being at the high end of the market in computers and small portable mp3 players.

Coming out with a video game system right now would be extremely difficult, it would require tremendous funds for marketing and they would have to sign a bunch of contracts with the video game developing companies like Activision, EA, Rockstar, etc.
Apple doesn't need that, the system would not do well in initial sales and it would be a detrament to the hip/ youth image that Apple currently sports because of the iPod.

Bill Gates came out with XBOX, it didn't do to well, but who cares about Gates anyway, he's the richest man in America and his company isnt idolized by young people.

It would be damaging to their hip youth image to make a device almost totaly marketed at youth? I dont see how

Games have clearly not been a priority for Apple, they are focused on lifestyle products. iGames would have too much of a learning curve and if you think the PS3 is too bogged down by trying to do things other than play games...

I don't think it fits thier business model and as much as I love my Mac I'd be a little leary of a Mac gamestaion.

I'd wait. Xbox360 has been known to run poorly and you should wait until the PS3 comes out, that may lower the xbox360's price.
frankly i don't play games any more so it doesn't bother me too much which i get, except that i find xbox's range of games (those few that are sill console-specific these days) more to my taste.

but anyway, by the time i've kitted out my original xbooox with linux and some sweet bios', i won't care any more :p

It would be damaging to their hip youth image to make a device almost totaly marketed at youth? I dont see how

The kids would just say that the video game system sucks because it is new. And therefore they would do poorly in overall sales.

It think they enjoy being at the high end of the market in computers and small portable mp3 players.

Hah. That was a good one. Software developers the world-over hate Macs with a passion too difficult to put into words. There are just enough of them that many developers (of business software) have to make all these extra compatability modifications just so that they can stay in-step with the other guy, but every last one of them hates it.

Now, portable mp3 players - the ipod - Apple put out a very popular product.

Games have clearly not been a priority for Apple, they are focused on lifestyle products. iGames would have too much of a learning curve and if you think the PS3 is too bogged down by trying to do things other than play games...

Well.... It was apple computers which designed Halo graphics...

Besides, their iPods take up a little more than 70% of todays music industry. let microsoft and sony have the games.

Make a games console? Do you think Apple could cut it in the console market. Will it add flavour to the current console war? Will it Pwn all other consoles? Or will Apple stay with its iPods and Macs? Would you ever buy and Apple console?

Think about it Apple is one of the biggest technology companies in the world so IMO it would make sense for it to make a console. I don't know if it would create fierce competition with Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo but you never know.

They already tried and failed miserably. The Pippin.

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,125772,pg,6,00.asp#pippin

IMO, the reason why Mac is not and SHOULD NEVER get into this market is because they're horrible at making things that are cheap and effective -- the Newton, the iPod and the Pippin are clear examples.

The kids would just say that the video game system sucks because it is new. And therefore they would do poorly in overall sales.
The same could be said of any of their new products ... the mini or the nano
How is this different then any other product release by them? as far as their hip youth image goes

Well.... It was apple computers which designed Halo graphics...

Besides, their iPods take up a little more than 70% of todays music industry. let microsoft and sony have the games.
Now that I think about it I could see them coming out with a portable system, that seems to fit into thier lifestyle oriented product line.

Hah. That was a good one. Software developers the world-over hate Macs with a passion too difficult to put into words. There are just enough of them that many developers (of business software) have to make all these extra compatability modifications just so that they can stay in-step with the other guy, but every last one of them hates it.

Hey man, I agree, I personally hate MACS and you're right about the the software compatability dilemma but Apple computers have such a clean and sophisticated operating system - LINUX, that most people say is far more superior than windows. So if for a computer enthusiast, MACS are the preference.

The same could be said of any of their new products ... the mini or the nano
How is this different then any other product release by them? as far as their hip youth image goes

true... they did very well when they first came out in the mp3 buisness.

I just have my high doubts apple will ever be successfull in the gamming industry just simply because the others are way ahead of them....


They already tried and failed miserably. The Pippin.

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/artic...,00.asp#pippin


Yeah, heard about that one.... failed miserably for apple. Doesn't matter to me though.


IMO, the reason why Mac is not and SHOULD NEVER get into this market is because they're horrible at making things that are cheap and effective -- the Newton, the iPod and the Pippin are clear examples.

Umm.... Apples vision isn't something cheap and effective. They work on quality and effective. The iPod is a quality, and a very effective mp3 player. It's better than what microsoft or sony could ever put out. The only thing they need to truely change is the ability to change the batteries... however, then size must go up unless they can invent batteries the size of thumb nails and thin as paper....

Now that I think about it I could see them coming out with a portable system, that seems to fit into thier lifestyle oriented product line.

I could see something like that... they may succeed in the portable area for gaming. I dunno... I just see apple as the kind of movie, animation, & music type of company rather than gaming.

The same could be said of any of their new products ... the mini or the nano
How is this different then any other product release by them? as far as their hip youth image goes

The mini and the nano are just different versions of the iPOD.

We're talking about something COMPLETELY different, an unproven video game system.

Kids develop prejudices very early, I was in 9th when the Nintendo Gamecube came out, there were some kids who refused to play Playstation because they were such avid Nintendo fans. (I prefered PS2).

And when the XBOX came out, all my friends who already had PS2 were not interested in buying it. And others still bought a Gamecube, thats what I did, why buy a system from a company that has never made a video game system before when you can get one from a trusted company like Nintendo.

The only people that whoud get this supposed "Apple Game-Box" would be people who never owned a system before.
But with the popularity of the existing three, this outcome is unlikely.

I could see something like that... they may succeed in the portable area for gaming. I dunno... I just see apple as the kind of movie, animation, & music type of company rather than gaming.
I think it would be an extension, like some sort of added app to the iPod.

I wonder if I say iGame enough it will create a rumour mill and start Apple thinking about it because they didn't want to look like they wheren't...I saw some comic strip about Mac development that went along those lines...

Hey man, I agree, I personally hate MACS and you're right about the the software compatability dilemma but Apple computers have such a clean and sophisticated operating system - LINUX, that most people say is far more superior than windows. So if for a computer enthusiast, MACS are the preference.

They don't use Linux. They use Apple's own proprietary operating system. Currently I believe it is called OS X.

If they used Linux, it might be possible for the end user to engineer an environment that could use everyone else's software without modifying the software itself. Of course, that implies the end user has any significant knowledge about computers at all, which they probably wouldn't if they were buying a Mac...

They don't use Linux. They use Apple's own proprietary operating system. Currently I believe it is called OS X.

Correct. Both the PowerPC Macs and intel Macs are OS X.

Correct. Both the PowerPC Macs and intel Macs are OS X.
...which is itself based on some form of unix/linux if i'm not mistaken. UT knows more than i do *waits for him to post*

Blizzard (Warcraft) is a Mac-friendly company -- most of their stuff comes out for both OS. Bungie (Halo) was Mac-first until they were bought out. If anyone remembers the Marathon series, then you'll notice a lot of hold-overs from that game got into Halo (the random BOB dialogue like "they're everywhere!" and the SPNKR "spanker" missile). Bungie effectively saved Microsoft's ass by crafting Halo, the only game that really set the Xbox apart when it was released.

That said, there's no way Apple would look at a market crowded with three monoliths and decide to try and break in. They make some bad decisions, but nothing that stupid. Thing is, their' bad decisions seem to be test from which they learn. The iPod has something like 3/4 of the personal audio/downloaded audio market, and a rabid enough following to keep solvent. They're not going to get into gaming. It's inelegant -- look at the iPod with the simple controls and interface. Games take more than just a click-wheel, and Apple isn't into making cumbersome, control-heavy gadgets.

I agree with the earlier poster, they'll be content to dominate the mp3 world and let Microsquash, So-so and Unintendo have the games market.

i would not get one out of principle.


i will however be getting a shiny new x360 as soon as i can (and chipping my current xbox to run linux too :))
Do it as soon as possible. The 360 is great.

I agree with the earlier poster, they'll be content to dominate the mp3 world and let Microsquash, So-so and Unintendo have the games market.

Unintendo?

What does that even mean?

If you're going to stoop to the fanboy levels of making fun of company's names, you might as well have the jokes make sense.

...which is itself based on some form of unix/linux if i'm not mistaken. UT knows more than i do *waits for him to post*

IIRC, it's based on BSD.

IIRC, it's based on BSD.
gah *shrugs*

i don't even know what "BSD" is :(

gah *shrugs*

i don't even know what "BSD" is :(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Software_Distribution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD <-- The OS X one.

They've the cutest mascot around.

Make a games console? Do you think Apple could cut it in the console market. Will it add flavour to the current console war? Will it Pwn all other consoles? Or will Apple stay with its iPods and Macs? Would you ever buy and Apple console?

Think about it Apple is one of the biggest technology companies in the world so IMO it would make sense for it to make a console. I don't know if it would create fierce competition with Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo but you never know.
*drolls*

I think-

*drolls*

Unintendo?

What does that even mean?

If you're going to stoop to the fanboy levels of making fun of company's names, you might as well have the jokes make sense.
Oh...kayyyy...

Ladies and gentlemen, Professor Killjoy! Thank you for that remarkable piece of unnecessary criticism. Always a pleasure.

Seriously. I took "Nintendo" and put a U in front of it. Wow. Satire. Hoopy.

I guess I could say that Nintendo had unintended consequences with the release of the Gamecube, i.e. sucking hind tit in sales and popularity. But that's just after the fact thinking, nothing I thought of in the original post.

Lighten up, buttercup.

Seriously. I took "Nintendo" and put a U in front of it. Wow. Satire. Hoopy.

I guess I could say that Nintendo had unintended consequences with the release of the Gamecube, i.e. sucking hind tit in sales and popularity. But that's just after the fact thinking, nothing I thought of in the original post.

Lighten up, buttercup.

So putting random letters in front of company names is satire! I thought satire (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/satire) meant something else but I guess the definition's changed! Must be another Apple innovation!

Oapple!

Like, you know when Apple tried to sell people the Pippin, you know what they said say dismissively?

O-Apple!

But see, I hadn't even come up with that at the time! I just chose O at random!

Aren't I a witty snowflake? As long as I say that my posts are satire, I can be as childish as I want!

Microsoft?

More like MicroPOOP!

Don't you critisize me, I was being satirical!

They control the portable player market and only because no one is riding their ass for antitrust shit like they are Microsoft. There is too much qualified and experienced competition in the console market, or handheld.

They control the portable player market and only because no one is riding their ass for antitrust shit like they are Microsoft.

While there aren't any anti-trust suits at the moment, there does seem to be some legal wrangling between Creative Labs and Apple. Creative sued Apple for patent infringement (http://playlistmag.com/news/2006/05/15/creative/index.php), while Apple has some lawsuits of its own (http://playlistmag.com/news/2006/05/19/lawsuit/index.php) directed back at Creative.

Although the iPod's been legally alright for most of it's lifetime, I still would credit Apple's marketing campaign for the iPod's success. Creative Labs had mp3 players in the 10-20 gigabye range out in the market years before Apple, but ultimately, they just failed to sell it to the public. Apple's advertising campaign, I think, is what led them to thier initial dominance of the mp3 player market, which is now just fuelled by thier own momentum.

Games have clearly not been a priority for Apple, they are focused on lifestyle products. iGames would have too much of a learning curve and if you think the PS3 is too bogged down by trying to do things other than play games...

I don't think it fits thier business model and as much as I love my Mac I'd be a little leary of a Mac gamestaion.
Yeah, I agree. Everyone said Microsoft was crazy to get into the console business, but they could afford to lose a billion dollars on it and not be hurt. Most companies don't have that kind of leeway. And it's just not Apple's kind of gig. If it were, there would be more software game titles for Mac.

Although the iPod's been legally alright for most of it's lifetime, I still would credit Apple's marketing campaign for the iPod's success. Creative Labs had mp3 players in the 10-20 gigabye range out in the market years before Apple, but ultimately, they just failed to sell it to the public. Apple's advertising campaign, I think, is what led them to thier initial dominance of the mp3 player market, which is now just fuelled by thier own momentum.
I've got a Zen Touch, and it's either as good or better than any Ipod i've seen. It was cheaper too- AND the software that comes with it isn't a bunch of crap. I hate Itunes, with a passion.

*snippity snip mc sniplets*
lmao

Well.... It was apple computers which designed Halo graphics...
That's an awfully interesting way to say "some Bungie employees who worked on Halo's graphics used Macs". Personally, I have a deep hatred towards Apple and everything they do because we had to use Macs in elementary school.

IIRC, it's based on BSD.
FreeBSD to be exact ... though the darwin core is a bastardization. Go to the source it is much better

They don't use Linux. They use Apple's own proprietary operating system. Currently I believe it is called OS X.

If they used Linux, it might be possible for the end user to engineer an environment that could use everyone else's software without modifying the software itself. Of course, that implies the end user has any significant knowledge about computers at all, which they probably wouldn't if they were buying a Mac...
They use as stated a varient of FreeBSD ... BSD is kind of a brother of linux they are very simmilar and are often confused (they are both system V derivitives) and in the end share most of the same applications

Just goes to show you that a decent front end can be put on the linux os

As for all the other tripe most of the linux variants keep themselfs hands on because it puts the power in the USERS hands there are some notable variants that I find easier then OSX

Ubuntu and Edbuntu to name two of them

snip
Umm.... Apples vision isn't something cheap and effective. They work on quality and effective. The iPod is a quality, and a very effective mp3 player. It's better than what microsoft or sony could ever put out. The only thing they need to truely change is the ability to change the batteries... however, then size must go up unless they can invent batteries the size of thumb nails and thin as paper....
BS I have a friend who works for the regions replacement parts department for best buy the number of replacement work they have to do is stagering