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Forbes: iPhone 'Could Kill Nintendo DS'

by Aaron Linde, Jun 05, 2008 8:00pm PDT
Related Topics – nintendo, iphone, Apple

The touch screen interface and motion-sensitive features of Apple's iPhone could wrestle dominance of the handheld gaming market away from the Nintendo DS, Forbes writer Brian Caulfield suggested in a recent editorial.

"Apple is the first to master a pair of tricks that have made Nintendo's latest products so compelling—a touch-screen interface and the ability to pick up on motion," Caulfield wrote. "Apple has crammed both capabilities into its iPhone and iPod Touch."

The editorial goes on to suggest that the ability to wirelessly purchase and download software for the iPhone via its App Store interface, coming in a software update next week, will further strengthen the device as a handheld gaming platform.

The 8GB and 16GB versions of the iPhone retail for $399 and $499, respectively, compared against a $130 price point for the Nintendo DS.

iPhone ports of EA's life-sim Spore and Sega's Super Monkey Ball were announced last March, and several independently developed games and programs have since surfaced for use on Apple's gadget.

While several developers such as John Carmack have expressed interest in the iPhone, the pledged support does not currently rival the lineup of third party developers and publishers actively producing titles for the Nintendo DS, which sold over 70 million units worldwide since it launched in 2004.

Caulfield concluded, "Looks like the handheld gaming business, so long dominated by Nintendo, could be about to undergo a little evolution too."

It is strongly believed that Apple will reveal a new iteration of the iPhone next week, rumored to incorporate improved network functionality and several new features. Thanks to iPhoneblog for the art.


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  • #103
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    By: Schnapple x
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    I'm sure this Forbes writer is spot on when he's writing about items in his domain. Gaming is apparently not in his domain. There are two fatal flaws in his argument. First, until you can buy an iPhone and use all of its features for $130 with no contract to anything else, it's no match for a handheld gaming platform. Second, it's been proven that better technology is not what drives adoption - the DS is, hands down, inferior, technology-wise, to a PSP (graphics and processing at least, the touch screen is arguable). And sells an order of magnitude more. People like the games, they love how popular it is (all the better to play with others) and they don't care that the PSP has PS2-level graphics (disclaimer: I'm a Nintendo fanboy).

    So we're going to have a good laugh at his expense but please everyone, don't take him seriously. It's not like we need to show him INTERNET RAGE. He's just mistaken, that's all
    Jun 06, 2008 5:35am PDT