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Forums - Gaming - Rumour: Apple is making a console

Apple is making a console

Analysis Hired the XBox360 team, add iTunes.....
Tuesday, 5 May 2009, 17:08

IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE how dense reporters can be. Apple hires the technical brain trust behind the XBox 360 and the conclusion is the firm are making an iphone?

Let's backpedal. Apple grabbed Bob Drebin, Raja Koduri, PA Semi, Mark Papermaster, a few games guys, and undoubtedly many others we didn't hear of. That gives them the ATI ex-CTO, also ex-ArtX, makers of the Nintendo GPUs forever, and another ATI 'big thinker'. Lets just say they have the GPU side down there.

PA Semi has several low-power, high-performance modular PowerPC chips on the market now. They are basically SoCs, just slap in a GPU (see last paragraph) and you have - wait for it - a console.

To have a successful console, you need software people. If you are going to do it in a sane way, you might want a robust digital delivery and payment system. Something that looks a lot like itunes. They could build it, but they already own it. See a product coming coming into focus yet?

Given the timelines needed for making a console, especially given that the hard parts are already done, could be under years. That would beat every one of the big boys to the next generation. As Nintendo has shown, you don't need killer specs to make a fun and generation leading console.

The fanbois will work themselves into a lather over this one, a pedestrian game console from the Messiah? Will it still be white and reassuringly expensive? They, of course, won't believe it until the Dear Leader himself, back from hormone surgery, waves one about on stage - atill, who cares about them?

Analysts will cry "phone", but none of these new hires has phone experience - and Apple has most decidedly not been hiring phone/RF folk. It makes no sense for them to jump into phone chip waters, from the myriad frequencies, patent minefields, and obtuse world-wide regulations, it isn't worth it. You can buy those parts on the commodity market, so why make them? Apple also hired PPC people, not ARM, that in and of itself should be telling.

In the end, the course is clear. There have been a lot of whispers floating around the valley regarding Apple and consoles. Take a hugely underrated Mac Mini or Apple TV, throw in a low power PPC SoC with a solid GPU, fire up itunes, and you have a console. Not only that, but one that snakes the living room out from under MS. If you recall, that is the very reason they developed the 360, to block Sony from owning that nexus.

If you can't put the dots together on this one, you really need to have your internet licence revoked, you are too blind to surf. It is not a question of if but when at this point. µ

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1052027/apple-console



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So if they hired guys from x360 will it RROD all the time ? :)

Oh well even if they make it they wo't be getting too far with $800 price tag



PROUD MEMBER OF THE PSP RPG FAN CLUB

It won't be $800, it'll be $250. Essentially all they have to do is make a second generation Apple TV and the are good to go. They really have most of the work done for them, and even a vast amount of the infrastructure is in place. They just need a few tweaks and tune-ups to their existing product line and they'll be able to put out a casual-ready console the delivers both movies and gaming in no time.

Really,  if you look at Apple TV as it is right now the specs are very similar to the Wii and the cost is already sub $250.  Should they release a slightly more powerful update with added gaming features they will be ready to do battle in console arena, and unlike Sony and MS they can afford to only sell a few million units because they won't be going for an over-the-top system.  The focus is on the casuals, where the money is, and Apple isn't going to screw that up.



You do not have the right to never be offended.

It would seem that they are going to target somewhere between the Wii and the Xbox 360, just from general impressions if this is true. I wonder what they will do with the interface? If Apple have anything to do with it, im sure its going to be good.



Tease.

No, thanks! we have enough consoles to play with already.



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another console for "teh casuals" perhaps?



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Squilliam said:
It would seem that they are going to target somewhere between the Wii and the Xbox 360, just from general impressions if this is true. I wonder what they will do with the interface? If Apple have anything to do with it, im sure its going to be good.

They will make something like Wiimote but with single button becouse more might confuse users :D

 



PROUD MEMBER OF THE PSP RPG FAN CLUB

If this rumor is at all true and Apple does get into the market, then Sony is the one that should worry the most, Nintendo and MS have tons of money so they can survive nearly anything short of a nuclear strike on their main offices, but Sony is already reeling



 

Predictions:Sales of Wii Fit will surpass the combined sales of the Grand Theft Auto franchiseLifetime sales of Wii will surpass the combined sales of the entire Playstation family of consoles by 12/31/2015 Wii hardware sales will surpass the total hardware sales of the PS2 by 12/31/2010 Wii will have 50% marketshare or more by the end of 2008 (I was wrong!!  It was a little over 48% only)Wii will surpass 45 Million in lifetime sales by the end of 2008 (I was wrong!!  Nintendo Financials showed it fell slightly short of 45 million shipped by end of 2008)Wii will surpass 80 Million in lifetime sales by the end of 2009 (I was wrong!! Wii didn't even get to 70 Million)

Avinash_Tyagi said:
If this rumor is at all true and Apple does get into the market, then Sony is the one that should worry the most, Nintendo and MS have tons of money so they can survive nearly anything short of a nuclear strike on their main offices, but Sony is already reeling

True, true. Though ultimately everyone has something to lose. Nintendo loses its hegemony with the expanded market, Sony sits on the brink of annihilation, and Microsoft has to contend with Apple in yet another arena

 



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Mr Khan said:
Avinash_Tyagi said:
If this rumor is at all true and Apple does get into the market, then Sony is the one that should worry the most, Nintendo and MS have tons of money so they can survive nearly anything short of a nuclear strike on their main offices, but Sony is already reeling

True, true. Though ultimately everyone has something to lose. Nintendo loses its hegemony with the expanded market, Sony sits on the brink of annihilation, and Microsoft has to contend with Apple in yet another arena

 

 

I m not sure if Apple will be successfull.. i mean Apple like to charge a reasonable margin on their products.. They will have to build software developers relationship, this is one thing in which they are not very good at. 

One thing they will be good at is marketing. Secondly i think the crowd which is going to go for Apple is a Nintendo crowd.. Sony has already too many first party developers and its franchises and IPs that it will still keep selling well. MS is short of developers so they will have to money hat a lot more now.. and maybe they will like to go back towards their core buisnesses rather than spend money over here. although MS has deep pockets but its also has equally diversified areas.. 

So it will be an interesting battle..