Companies that could enter the console war

[alpha_dk]

I don't see any of them 'entering' the market, per se.  The CLOSEST i can see is the following:

Apple and Nintendo team up for a peripheral for the Wii (details later). The companies are very similar in their strategies and branding, and both would obviously benefit from working together vs. Microsoft; they are both in a period of expansion, corporate mobility and innovation, and both of their strategies are also aiding each other.

The Multitouch of the iPhone and the wiimote are good examples of this; changing the way people interact with technology is obviously proving beneficial to both parties, and so far Microsoft has proven unable to cope with this; they need to capitalize on this while Microsoft is still recovering. For Nintendo this means they have until the 360 is gone, and for Apple we don't know when this will change; all we have are rumors that they are adding multitouch to their laptops, so they are interested in this technology beyond the iPhone.

This, coupled with the rumors from a while back lead me to the following theory:

Apple (through the iTMS) takes over WiiWare sales. They have plenty of experience in Digital Downloads, whereas Nintendo has none. Apple would get part of this revenue, although Nintendo would be providing the documentation, etc. Pretty much all Apple would be doing is managing the store, and making the UI of the shop channel more accessible... because frankly, right now it could work better. It's not terrible by any means; it could just work better.

But why should nintendo give up the revenue from WiiWare?

Well, other than not having to manage the store any more, which really wouldn't be *that* big of a deal for them, they would get to license Apple's multitouch technology. It is pretty much guaranteed that so-called 'touch' gaming is here to stay, at this point. Nintendo has had too much success with the Wii and the DS for it to go away. Well, after the DS there needs to be something 'new' to entice people; that something new will probably be something similar to multitouch.

And why bother reinventing the wheel? Barring any patents that anyone might hold on Multitouch, which I don't know if there are any, but I doubt Apple left themselves that open to legal action, Apple has a working implementation. Nintendo could use it as the basis for DS2 or whatever.

I also can almost see an "iTMS channel" or some such, that basically adds apple-TV function to the Wii. The Wii already has WiFi - thats really all that is needed for AppleTV functionality.

Keep in mind, I don't *actually* think this will happen. It is just the *ONLY* way I can see any of those companies enter the market. I don't think any of them are stupid enough to try and make it a 4-way race right now, especially since most of them would only be interested in the market for reasons like taking down Microsoft, which, if Nintendo gets its way, won't be necessary