iPod Touch Great for Gaming! Well, Except for the 8GB Version

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/09/updated-8gb-ipod-touch-has-lower-price-not-better-gaming-1.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss' target='_blank'>http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2...tm_campaign=rss</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Those considering the iPod touch for gaming might want to steer clear of the not-so-new 8GB model, which is just last year's model with a lower price. The best gaming performance will come from OpenGL ES 2.0-capable hardware, which is only included in the pricier 32GB and 64GB models."</em></p><p><span><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1253222841.usr105634.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></span></p><p><span>You can really tell the difference in the comparison video shown on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udxs2q3R3P4" target="_blank">YouTube</a>, where the frame rate on the older processor is about a 1/3 of what it is with the newer one. Most that own the 8GB version won't even notice a problem, and not that there really is one, it's just that once you see the comparison you really see what you are missing.&nbsp;</span></p>

[Jason Dunn]

So here's the problem facing the developers: do you cater to the lowest common denominator, which will help you sell to the broadest base, and keep your apps graphically simplistic? Or do you create apps that are graphically intensive, using the new iPod Touch/iPhone 3GS hardware, and sell to a much smaller market? Not an easy decision.

[doogald]

You make two apps, one that takes advantage of the better hardware (and costs more to buy), and one that works with the older hardware, or for those who want to spend less for a lesser version with the new hardware. Easy-peasy. It won't be long before most iPhone OS devices out there are the better versions anyway - a year or two.

[Jason Dunn]

You make two apps, one that takes advantage of the better hardware (and costs more to buy), and one that works with the older hardware, or for those who want to spend less for a lesser version with the new hardware. Easy-peasy.

I'm not a developer, so I don't know how easy it is to make two different versions of the same game for the iPod, but generally speaking developers don't like making multiple versions of the same app. Ask any Windows Mobile developer - they HATE it.

It won't be long before most iPhone OS devices out there are the better versions anyway - a year or two.

That's either a comment on the horrible build quality of iPods and iPhones because you're saying they're all going to break in the next year or two, or you think that people will stop using an old iPod and put it in a drawer somewhere...I somehow don't think either is all that accurate. ;)

[doogald]

I'm not a developer, so I don't know how easy it is to make two different versions of the same game for the iPod, but generally speaking developers don't like making multiple versions of the same app. Ask any Windows Mobile developer - they HATE it.

As I do not own either I do not know for sure, but I know that there are apps in the store that support only the 3G and 3Gs (and not the Touch or Edge-only iPhone). Developers will make a choice of one over the other (as the WM developers typically do, as I know all so well on my WM Standard phone), or they will develop two apps if they'll make enough money at it, whatever. I'm guessing that there will be some games that support Open GL ES 2.0 soon, most will be developed for 1.1, and some may create two, but that this will shift as ownership percentages shift. I just can't believe that developers will be fretting about it all that much - they'll simply make a choice and run with it.


That's either a comment on the horrible build quality of iPods and iPhones because you're saying they're all going to break in the next year or two, or you think that people will stop using an old iPod and put it in a drawer somewhere...I somehow don't think either is all that accurate. ;)

At least in the US, every iPhone is sold with a two year contract - I have, in fact, upgraded my phone every two years since I owned one. And I also know that I upgraded my iPod after three years, as the battery was not lasting long and it was pretty inexpensive to buy a new one (and, yes, the old one is sitting in a drawer.) People seem eager to upgrade to new devices when new devices offer better features at a relatively low price - for example, I am guessing that there are a lot of people who already owned Zunes which work perfectly well who just purchased themselves Zune HDs. I know that I had to make a choice 21 months ago on whether to switch to AT&T and buy an Edge iPhone, or re-up for another two years with Verizon, and we chose to stay with Verizon for another two. Well, in another three months, when that contract is up, I'm getting myself a 3GS. I suspect that there are a good number of people who will do the same.

So, yes, I think that next July that there will be a lot of people who purchased an iPhone 3G on its launch day who will be ready to upgrade when their contracts are up and they can get subsidized pricing (as I suspect that Apple will have a new model next summer), and I think that next September there will be a lot of people with original iPod Touches who will be ready to upgrade to the next version (after three years), perhaps even people with Touch 2Gs ready to upgrade after two years, if only for greater storage (and a camera :D ), and there will be people who have newly switched, and these folks will find themselves owning Open GL ES 2.0 capable devices. The original iPod went from 50 million sold to 100 million sold in about five quarters, and to 150 million in another seven. I think that it is very possible for the iPhone OS platform total sales to double in size in less than two years, yes.