Michal Ždanský While fans of Sony's console impatiently await the launch of the Playstation Phone, the Japanese company has announced that the Playstation Suite, the system that will be the core of the gaming side of the expected phone, will also be available for other smartphones with the Android operating system.
Any phone that wants to get this gaming system will have to go through Sony's certification, the parameters of which are not yet known. However, Android version 2.3 and higher is required. What does this mean in practice? Android phones would suddenly become portable game consoles, which Sony would supply with a number of quality games. That could be a problem for Apple, which would lose a great position that helps it sell its phones and iPod touches.
As we wrote recently, the iPhone practically became the most used handheld on the market. Although most of the games in the App Store cannot yet match the successful titles on the PSP, at least in terms of sophistication and length, many people will still prefer the iPhone. On the one hand, it offers everything in one, and the prices of individual titles are incomparably lower.
However, playing on an iPhone also has several pitfalls, one of which is primarily touch screen control. As is already known today, the Playstation Phone will have a slide-out part that will allow you to control games just like the Sony PSP. Likewise, there may be additional controllers for Android phones that would turn them into a gaming console.
If it were possible to keep the prices of games for the Playstation Suite at an affordable limit, many users who want to buy a phone also as a gaming device might think twice about buying an iPhone and prefer a cheaper and more affordable Android phone instead. There is certainly no danger that the balance of power on the smartphone market would be significantly reversed thanks to the new game system, but Android is already starting to catch up with the iPhone, and the Playstation Suite could also play a significant role in this in the future.
So how can Apple maintain its position as a handheld device? To a large extent, the key is the App Store, which is the largest marketplace available for apps and thus attracts the largest number of developers. But this situation may not last forever, the Android Market is gaining momentum and then there is the Playstation Suite. One possibility would be to ensure the exclusivity of some development studios, as Microsoft does for its Xbox. However, this seems unlikely.
Another possibility would be Apple's own patent, an additional device that would turn the iPhone into a kind of PSP, and which we have already they wrote. We also informed you about the unofficial driver iControlPad, which should go on sale soon. It is likely that the device would use either a dock connector or bluetooth. In doing so, it would be possible to use a keyboard interface and then it would be up to the developers to enable keyboard control in their games. If such a controller came directly from the Apple workshop, there is a good chance that many games would receive support.
In many cases, what stands between quality games and the iPhone is the control, touch is simply not enough for everything and in some types of games it does not allow such a great gaming experience. So it will be interesting to see how Apple deals with this situation.
I really like the NOKIA in the picture. :D
The combination of Sony and Google is a rather interesting step, certainly beneficial for both companies. But I'm afraid it's a relatively insignificant thing for Apple. With a sober look, it is clear that the PSP on Android also hides a lot of disadvantages, and only hardcore gamers would prefer it over the iPhone, who do not make up a significant share of all iPhone/iPod users.
What PSP on A resi:
+ connects two devices into one, players do not have to drag and charge the PSP
+ brings Android lovers significantly closer to handheld games, because the current game offer on A is sad
What PSP on A doesn't bring or complicates:
– the phone must be a slide-out, so it will get thicker and bring a lot of technical limitations compared to pure A
– specific HW comes under the purview of the next link in the chain: Google (holds the system) – Manufacturer/Operator (holds the update) – Sony (holds the PSP certification). This will cause more problems than benefits
– Sony cannot sell games for PSP/A significantly cheaper than for PSP2, because it would cannibalize its own HW sales
– there will be more fragmentation of the Android platform, more market, more configuration, more confusion...
As a result, the PSP/A will eventually be produced only by SonyEricsson, a couple of HC players who will appreciate the integration of the phone, but the market importance will be limited. For the majority of adult Apple users, games on the iPhone are only an added value and do not significantly affect the controls. iPod users would have to sacrifice a better UI, a higher price and a significantly smaller selection of games just for the "different" controls on the PSP/A. Should Apple really be worried that it has given a significant part to the customer?
Absolute truth!
That Orieska
"He's right Chairman!!"
I also think it won't be that hot.
Sure, let's ditch all the iOS devices and go Android! We don't want NfS for €4 but from sony for €25!! :)
Not really, I didn't want to play on the iPhone, but I was drawn to it while I was resting, and the price played a big part in it. The prices of PSP games are significantly more expensive, and even if the controls are better, it's still easy to play. Who really likes gaming has a Ps3 or the smarter Xbox 360 :). This is probably not a threat, but Sony is seriously trying to get the customers it lost due to their policy.
The games from sony will be more expensive, but they will be many times more elaborate and of higher quality (although, with the newly introduced 3 UEngine it may be different), but Konami annoys me the most, try to compare the Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill iOS versions with the PSP versions :(
For me, Silent Hill Origins is generally the best handheld game ever
My iphone game is missing:
1) quality adventure games (which is strange, considering that it is made for them)
2) games with CUT scenes, good story, atmosphere and soundtrack