The upcoming Apple game console

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apple-sticker-girl

Pure speculation this, but more than eminently possible. Apple went from being a computer manufacturer to a consumer toy maker with the iPod. They then morphed into also being a phone manufacturer with iPhone. And in the process they have seen the massive profits that can be made by owning a proprietary gaming platform standard. Having seen what Apps store is making for them, they obviously want more. One obvious route this can take is to join Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo in the home game console market. Apple certainly have the technical expertise to do this.

It costs billions to launch into the console market, as Microsoft will tell you. Fortunately Apple have $29 billion in the bank. Yes, that’s right, $29 billion. You could buy a country or two with that. Also you need management who know what they are doing. Well Apple’s management seem to have had all the right ideas thus far. But that is not stopping them currently recruiting some of the top management in the console game industry.

Then there is the strongly rumoured takeover of Electronic Arts. Apple could very easily afford this and it would give them the guarantee of lots of content as and when iConsole is launched. In fact it wouldn’t make much sense unless Apple were launching a game console.

But the best thing about an Apple game console and the thing that makes it most likely is that it will allow them another opportunity to take on the old enemy, Microsoft.

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22 Comments


  1. But mister Bruce… whatcha think IS Apple thinking about game console for REAL gamers (like PS3/X360) or… something like Wii? I can’t imagine Gears of War’ like game on Apple console


  2. I have often speculated that Apple would join next Generation.

    Side Note – With “Onlive” announced to be out Winter 2009, it has Mac Support meaning you will be able to play all the games On the Mac, The Mac isn’t really one for gaming enthusiast as there’s not a wide library as there is on PC, but this looks like something that might help turn more people to Mac –

    As for the console side, I can’t see “Onlive” Taking it over. There is to many exclusives they just can’t get there hands on and If Sony and MS adopt a similar feature with there next console then it looks like consoles wont need to be anything more than A total Backwards Compatibility Machine, with improved technology to handle streaming the data. This would be bad for Apple If they to didn’t adopt the Cloud or Digital Download Gaming as this looks to be the way of the next Gen. If they can Pull this Cloud thing off successfully where there’s a lot of doubt from the media that there could be, then Apple Won’t Have much of a console to make. If the cloud side doesn’t do well with consoles, they might have a Digital download side to go into. If it sticks to Disks/Digital Download then I don’t see why not. If it goes cloud then I can’t see them embracing the console war.


  3. As much as I like competition I don’t see this happening. The console market is too crowded as it is. Apple even supports Windows now for their computers because of the influence Windows has. The problem with the consoles is it’s not universal like music and movies. It’s a bad market for them to try and control with their marketing brand. Sure having Electronic Arts would help but costs are too high to keep games exclusive anymore and you need that against the likes of Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony.


  4. I have my doubts. I can see Apple buying EA to take advantage of profits (and hopefully apply some of their talent to weed out EA’s downward slope, preferably nixing the entire Videogame base on a movie dept) but a console seems off. Microsoft was “easily” able to jump into the console war because consoles had become basically computers, and microsoft already had a gaming heritage, it was all based on mostly their 1st party stuff, and swooping in with the big bucks to persuade the likes of sega and take 2. Apple on the other hand, while being the best computer solution (high quality hardware coupled with great software), best music player (hardware and software) and the best smartphone (black berry is catching up, windows mobile isnt) they have no real gaming base except old hypercard from pre OSX. Granted, i love MYST, and Cosmic Osmo, in fact i’m replaying Riven right now, but Apple does not have an earth shattering game that will rock the consoles now like Halo did for the ps2 and the gamecube. And they definitely aren’t going to find it at EA. Theyre more like creating a web. They have an in with disney because of pixar, and now they want in on a major 3rd party software developer. Many people speculate that EA combined with the current power of the itunes store could be a chance to rival Steam at digital downloads. Imagine buying Bioshock 2 in iTunes, its not a far off concept. Plus with EA in their pocket, they would be a little more focus on properly porting games to make instead of leaving that to Cider and emulation.


  5. could apple make a surprise showing at E3?


  6. Hmmmm, does this idea pass the BS test? Not really. Apple already has a game system, the iPhone OS. It’s a full-fledged computer, obviously, but in a tiny form factor. It has a huge gaming community, a unique interface, and addicting games. Why go toward the console format, when the handheld format (with its accelerometer) is required for the kinds of games being developed? Nah, Apple will most likely stay away from this market.


  7. I’ll take the floor model in the picture, thank you. The usual superb Apple design is in evidence, and the unit seems to have all the right ports.


  8. yeah, i`d be more than happy to check her ports out, click her mouse buttons (& wheel) then unzip her harddrive !


  9. who is that model???

    and if apple made a console and got all the major mulitplatform games for it and its own great exclusives, i would go for it. Apple makes the best hardware and software.


  10. Apple tried the console market once already and absolutely bombed, anybody remember the Pippin?


  12. Not a bad idea – but knowing Apple, they wouldn’t be building a console; if anything it would be a ‘home entertainment system’. And it would be pricey indeed. ..Unlikely.

    If Apple really wants to take on Microsoft in the console market, they’ll probably do it by partnering with one of the other brands rather than going it alone with an unknown console. The Big Three have been at it for several generations now…they’d be too far behind.

    My money is on a Sony/Apple deal. Probably for the PS4; and it’ll have all kinds of connectivity with your other Mac products.


  13. hmmmm well M$ wont be to happy about that.
    but i sincerly doubt apple will do so, if they do it will probably be a hand held system like the psp.
    full blown consoles just aint worth it for them.


  14. and i doubt anyone will buy it, if it does come out it will probably be $400 plus more expensive than a ps3 or 360.
    knowing apple, i saw a macbook pro in a mag today for 3K that has a slower CPU than my pc, less ram, smaller HDD smaller screen, lower resolution, crapper video card, and its $700 more expensive than mine.
    i dont understand how that works, a fast pc is cheaper than a slow mac ????????????????? thats why i will never own a mac


  15. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. Can’t wait


  16. @name

    stop listening to what your dad tells you at the dinner table.

    Macs are better than your cheap pc because one you don’t understand how slow your cheap parts are. 2 thier is more reliable. 3 once you buy all the accories needed to use anything advanced other than solitaire , you have spent the same or more for pc.

    Apple could definitly compete. Xbox360 is basically dead. Ps3 has maybe 2 good titles and lots of issues. Both have shorty workmanship. Although xbox will soon have wii like controls. But apple could easily break the mold for next gen games. Or compete with the DS.


  17. The problem is simple. Buying EA isn’t a road to becoming a console maker because with console exclusivity there’s no way EA is profitable (even without it, it’s not doing so good). There is no price at which it’s worth it for EA to sell which is also worth it for a hardware maker to buy… particularly a hardware maker who has a strong need to build exclusivity into its model (and, economic requirements aside, I don’t believe Apple is capable of acting any other way).


  18. I could not see Apple teaming up with Sony becuase the two seem to be in different ideas about marketing and innovation, however and Apple/Nintendo WiiHD or Wii2 could be around the corner. Developing Wii’s virtual console into the App Store and making it avaliable on the next generation along with the other Apps already avaliable. If Apple and Nintendo could team up for the next generation then they could come out with a console that is able to appeal to non-gamers for its user friendlyness (a strong suit of Nintendo) and a High-Def resolution and processing unit and innovative technology (something Apple has been a pioneer at for years). If Apple were smart they would team up with Nintendo for the future of gaming.


  19. HI THERE IF THIS IS TRUE I KNOW APPLE IS GONE FLASH MEMORY HAPPY LIKE THE 64 GB IPOD TOUCH WITH 64 GB FLASH MEMORY MACBOOK AIR WITH 128 GB SSD AND MACBOOK PROS WITH 128 OR 256 GB SSD SOO IF APPLE RELEASES A GAMING CONSOLE PLEASE HAVE A 32 64 OR 128 GB SSD OR 16 GB SSD FOR A LOWER COST BUT FASTER PERFORMANCE GAMING CONSOLE THEN XBOX 360 XBOX OR PS3 HARD DRIVE EVRSION


  20. HI THERE WOW IF APPLE HAS IT WAY NO CONSOLE WILL USE SLOW HOT POWER HUNGRY HARD DRIVES ANY MORE BECUASE APPLE LIKES BEING GREEN AND THE FASTEST USEING SOLID STATE FLASH DRIVES SO EVERY OTHER GAMING CONSOLE SONY MICROSOFT SEGA ALL WILL USE SOLID STATE FLASH DRIVES AS WELL TOO KEEP UP WITH APPLE SSD SOLID STATE FLASH DRIVES ARE LIGHTING FAST AND USE ALMOST NO POWER AT ALL EVEN HARD CORE GAMMING


  21. i’d buy a iGame or whatever they’ll call it. i’ve had macs for years and they’re good machines with great apps. they run risc rather than a form of dos. i think i’m ready for some increase in gaming visuals and ai and natal will be a step back due to its lack of built-in processor.

    gooooo apple!


  22. Apple make a games console? But… but… this will make my Pippin obsolete, I suppose? *sigh*

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