I thought this was interesting…

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/04/09/apple_hiring_away_pr_execs_from_nintendo_activision_rumor.html

I love Apple products and have used them from the beginning with an Apple IIc.  But I still prefer gaming on a Wii console over an iPhone or iPad.  I just can't game on those.

I love how the data can be read just to prove anyones point...DS and PSP gaming has fallen by 13% because 2010 was the last year without an 8th gen console. And sure, smartphone gaming has risen, but 2010 was the year of the tablets and of the iPhone 4, it was obvious something would have changed in better...

I'm referring to the article linked, this new job for Saunders means nothing IMHO, Apple will live as long as they continue in this way, their console wouln't be succesful (people buy iPhone because their smartphones, not obviously for the games, the same for iPods, while a console should count primarly on games, otherwise the support won't be here).

Even if you forget the second half of the article this is clearly a trend Apple is becoming increasingly interested in.

This is serious red ocean stuff, and with the ubiquity of Apple's phones and other platforms (iPad, iPod, mac, Apple TV) there is already a complete eco-system for developers in place.

The only missing pieces in the puzzle for this to work would be some unified distribution system and service allowing cross-play between platforms, and a dedicated controller with actual buttons (something that could connect to any of the mentioned Apple devices).

For all we know, Apple could announce both of those tomorrow. They've kept bigger secrets in the past. You have to remember that this is only the small stuff that leaks out to the press, and any major developments (if they exist) are kept secret so for all we know this could be the tip of the iceberg for Apple and gaming..

In short, Nintendo should be VERY worried about competition from Apple.

Or as the saying goes, shit just got real!

I don't think there shoyuld be a huge amount of worry from Nintendo about Apple. Apple could sell 500 million iPhones, and I still think Nintendo wouldn't be in any worse of a position to sell 100M of their own handheld gaming consoles.

If anything, Apple has contributed to the idea that pricey handheld systems are viable. Nintendo has released its own now, and it has already sold around 2 million.

True. The real fact is that if even Apple tried harder in the gaming department, still they could not attract many developers. Let's say, a full FF game costs millions to be made...selling it at 10$ would be the only way to sell it on the iOS systems, and at that price how many virtual copies are needed just to be a viable option?

Just to say that Apple's attitued in totally uncompatible with the videogaming one. People who buys Apple's systems won't buy expensive games, and expensive games are a reality which is not going anywhere in the near future.

And let's remember that Nintendo still has a loyal fanbase: pretty much 20-30 million people would buy a Ninendo console just for Mario, Zelda and other Nintendo's IPs, so they can't fail right now, even if the sales could decrease in some way if they play their card wrongly.

It doesn't prove anything. MS hired the same ad firm that marketed the Wii and DS, for the Kinect launch, but you're not honestly going to argue that they've actually stolen market share because of it.

i hate comparing apple to consoles.

when something comes out with a new model EVERY year, you can't just add up totals.  Apple especially.  they have the most die hard fans out of any company, they would have the highest % upgrade out of every company.

so those 10 million iphiones bought every year (or whatever it is) you can bet near half of them are people who bought it last year as well.  so there isn't 10 million NEW iphone users out there

But then there are 10 million OLD iphones out there who will be sold to other people that didn't have one before.

it's the same argument that crops up every time a console revision comes out. "all these PS3 or XBOX slim are just bought by people who already have one" as if that would make the old ones dissappear and the new ones don't matter. most of them will change owners and games will be bought for them.

I don't really see what advantage Apple would get from hiring a former Nintendo PR executive, especially one in such a minor region as the UK...

Apple have yet to get a strong enough foothold in order to even have a chance of making games, or a games console, which will worry the big 3. This just seems like an unneccessary expense to me.

I'm sorry, I should have phrased my opinion more carefully. Perhaps "Red Ocean" is too harsh a term for what I meant. I am in no way implying that Nintendo are in any immediate danger. In fact, Apple could go as far as declaring war on Nintendo tomorrow, and they would still have enough resources, fans and brand recognition to hold their own for ten years, allowing them to regroup and develop a new strategy. Also, it is true that at least for now the two companies are benefiting one another in terms of growth. Apple is furthering the acceptance of expensive personal devices, as Jumpin said, and Nintendo is increasing the appeal of unconventional games and reaching new audiences.

However, seeing as Nintendo are long-term thinkers, they should be cautious not to find themselves in a situation where Apple is reaching new markets and closing them off before Nintendo have an opportunity to follow through with a move of their own... These kinds of things are incredibly difficult to predict, and in this sense Apple is just as good as Nintendo at coming up with unique twists or original ideas with tremendous consumer appeal. Furthermore, as technology continues to get cheaper it is quite possible Apple will also begin to offer lower end product lines at highly competitive prices, which could also loom on Nintendo's established market... the pricing of the iPad is a precedent for Apple lowering prices.

Personally, I am optimistic and not really worried about Nintendo. They are survivors, but only because they  plan ahead for these types of doomsday scenarios, and are no doubt doing so as we speak.