Right. And before Pokemon there was no such thing as a good game. Come on. Things change. Eras pass away and new eras begin. Think like a visionary for moment and not an automaton.
Did you not understand what the original poster said? This is not about eras and visions, it's about what games young kids want to play, which in and of itself dictates what platforms are purchased by their parents..
My daughter wants a DS, simply and only because of Pokemon and because it is what all her friends at school have. I have tried to sell her on the idea of a PSP as I think it is much better value for money, but she won't have a bar of it. I could be a great visionary and get her a Touch or a PSP and spout of about new eras, being original and not following the herd, but she would just cry her eyes out and hate me for it.
We bought an Xbox 360 and its precursor, simply and only because my son wanted them for Halo.
Games dictate sales of platforms. The Apple exec is a fool if he doesn't realise this. Sure games will sell in droves, but it is just a new incarnation of the ringtone phenomenon there was a few years ago with phones. They are selling because they are available and people are just adding accessory content, I doubt people are buying iPhones and Touches 'because' of the content. Until people are buying Apple hardware simply because a particular game they want will only run on it, that hardware should not be seen as a game platform.
If I were running Apple, I would be looking to spend a big chunk of that 20bn to get into the game console market - by buying content producers or establishing them. The other market I would be going for is GPS. I know the iPhone has some GPS functionality, but I have not seen anything to suggest it is good enough to have Garmin or TomTom worried.
I don't get it, why is everyone arguing sales of iPhone/iPod Touch vs DS/DSi/Wii as if one has to extinguish the other? Why does Nintendo or Sony have to lose in order for Apple to win?
If you take all the numbers you guys are arguing over they still add up to less than 100 million units. With a planet population of over 6 billion people there appears to be plenty of unaddressed marketshare out there.
It is possible for both the iPhone platform and the DS platform to be wildly popular without one having to destroy the other.
Further shifting attention on the iPhone towards gaming, an Apple executive has out-and-out stated the device is a genuine competitor to the best handheld consoles on the market.
The comments come from Apple Director of Technology Evangelism John Geleynse, who witnesses for Engadget say made the aggressive claims at an iPhone Tech Talk in San Jose, near the company's Cupertino headquarters.
At the developer gathering, the official urged developers to forget about the handset as a traditional cellphone and, as game developers, to think of it strictly as a game console.
"It's not a phone, it's a console experience," Geleynse is reported as saying.
While a bold statement, the claim is in line with an increasingly gaming-centric marketing strategy at Apple. Virtually all of the electronics firm's video ads for the second-generation iPod touch have focused on gaming, while the majority of paid apps at the App Store have typically been games.
Other parties are also known to be getting involved as well. Electronic Arts on Friday said it will host special events at flagship Apple retail stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco during December to promote the iPhone and iPod touch as gaming platforms and show off the software company's game library.
Apple hasn't necessarily needed to ask for help to position its touchscreen handhelds as gaming devices, though, and has been achieving similar or better sales than offerings from Nintendo or Sony. Nintendo recently touted NPD Group data noting that it sold a near-record 1.56 million DS handhelds during November, but is likely to be outpaced by Apple's iPhone sales alone: in summer, the company sold 6.9 million iPhones
Having just having attended a full day at one of the iPhone Tech Talk developers program, I can't accept the entire direction that this article or the comments that came from it.
Firstly, we as developers realize that the iPhone can't compete with everything that some of the game consoles have accomplished. And I doubt we ever will, unless, the format of the iPhone is changed. Now will Apple do so on the next iterations? I wouldn't think so.
They don't have to.
What Apple was telling us during the program, that here was a cell phone on which developers were creating apps that were far beyond what everybody ever dreamed or is dreaming of.
As was evidenced, the success of the current slate of apps, and being apprised of a number of pre-releases, the extent of what can be accomplished is just in the infancy stage.
More important, what was obvious, was the fact that the playing rules have changed somewhat and that there is now a new game in town. Games that for now, didn't need all the accessories that real gamers want or have been accustomed to. Games by new and old boy developers in the business. Games, even with a 'perceived' number of limitations were being received with significant enthusiasm. Games that were new rehashes of older iterations were now being highly touted, just by changing or modiifying a few playing rules or the field.
The iPhone and iPod Touch has currently over 50 million potential 'game' players. Already, there are few million who have purchased and are actively playing on the iPhone. More will undoubtedly come, particularly after seeing a few that are in the final stages of development.
However, the format is not for everyone. Afterall, the iPhone, in particular, is not a toy. But with the sales of the iPhone and iPod Touch well approaching a 100 million units, there will be a move by many of those who would normally spend their monies on true gaming consoles towards Apple's offerings. Certainly, the prices that are being charged and the economy as such, the gaming future as we see it being developed now is well in Apple's favour.
My son has both. In fact, all the variations. Whether on his computer, console, my iPhone or iPod Touch, he has the luxury of flexibility whereever he is.
Unfortunately with the economy as it is now, I see more need to move towards the iPhone. Keeping in contact, searching for a job and listening to music or playing a game to release the tension and boredom of standing in the employment line, may become more of a norm for many. One which nobody predicted or wants. One which Nintendo's, Sony's or Microsoft's game consoles can't totally provide and one which diminishes their opportunity every time an iPhone or iPod Touch is sold.
Keep in mind though, and let's not begrudge the fact, that there is room for everybody. If we do, we all win.
what can't the iphone do? its a phone, mobile internet device, music player, and now gaming platform. The App Store is making it the most versitile device that defies catagories.
ASomething really light. I'm thinking something like (but just for explanation purposes) a PSP with the screen hollowed out and you just drop your phone/touch into the cavity resting on a thin back plate and you are good to go - as the console would recognise it via the dock connector activating the PSP style dpads on either side.
There was a rumor going round Belkin were working on one but it turns out they aren't:
It would have folded in half so you could put it in your pocket.
I can see why you wouldn't want it to be honest because it would be awkward if someone called you while that was attached.
I don't actually think that a physical add-on is needed, just better thought put into the games by developers. Some accelerometer games actually control very well but others are terrible as the car moves too quickly based on the movement so you just end up bouncing off the walls all the time.
I don't think the hardware specs are the key here, but Apple's commitment to turn the iPhone into a competitive games platform: having a credible gaming marketing strategy, courting major game developers, developing the next Pokemon phenomenon (Nintendo really is about creating tremendously successful entertainment IP, rather than trying to surpass everyone else in hardware featuresets), etc. Can developers rely on Apple to do what's needed in order for a real gaming market to exist?
Would Apple, say, try doing the same as the other players and price the iPod Touch below cost to get more sales, things like that?
You're right about the other stuff, but people bore quickly with games. Until/unless a faster processor and more memory in particular come up, it's going to stall among the competition.
I dunno why folks are giving Frank a hard time. The iPhone is a backdoor play into gaming and more devs for the entire OSX ecosystem.
Because of the iPhone/App Store there are a lot more ObjectiveC/Cocoa developers than ever before.
As far as the aTV goes, the next rev COULD BE a console/computer crossover using iPod touches and iphones as unique controllers along with more traditional controllers. One that does both Wii like games AND MS Office.
Apple's target is very much the same as Wii/DS and not so much PS3/PSP although I could see EA porting some form of Madden to the iPhone given the demographic that owns iPhones overlaps with guys that like sports.
As far as Pokemon and other exclusives...well, Apple does have a huge warchest if it really wanted in to the gaming market. I doubt it does though. And as for Pokemon specifically, the target demographic for the iPhone is older than that of the DS. Much more in line with the PSP I think really but more casual. Besides, there's always Sega. Sonic is no Mario but IS on the iPhone and can cater to the same kind of game play.
The ironic part is that the Imagination inc. PowerVR "MBX lite" in the iPhone/Touch is very weak in comparison to their latest chips. The reason why the iPhone looks so good is probably the OpenGL optimization and the fact that the competing Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP units are very old in computing terms. The new generation from Imagination is the PowerVR "SGX" line, and it has actually been out for quite a while now! If they combine an PowerVR SGX with the new ARM Cortex-A8 core for the next iPhone/Touch, it is going to blow away what we're seeing now!
There is a lot of confusion concerning IP cores. While the SGX IP core has been out for a while, actual processors using it have been slow to trickle out. The IP core is just a small fraction of the total die area of a chip. Companies who license the core still need to do quite a bit of designing, which can take years. For example, the Cortex-A8 IP core was finished in 2005 (before the SGX fyi), but we are only now seeing a few devices using it. That being said, I'm fairly certain 2009 will be the year where the Cortex-A8+SGX combo finally hits the high-end phone market. Hopefully the iphone will be one of them.
I am not really attempting to say the iPod Touch is going to destroy the PSP or Wii or anything like that. I'm simply pointing out that the iPod is an extremely successful platform and will indeed likely become a dominant gaming platform.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FireEmblemPride
Revenue rose by 3% this last quarter, which is not indicative of anything regarding the touch because Apple's also shipped/sold more iPods than ever in a non-holiday quarter.
It also doesn't help that I quoted actual sales from Media Create and NPD while Apple's numbers are shipments. I used a Nintendo PDF document which contained shipments, but the Wii is consistently sold out everywhere except Japan anyway.
I agee. I don't think Nintendo or Sony have to be driven out of the business for Apple to succeed. They can all certainly coexist.
At the same time their is a finite market for portable gaming. A small number of those 6 billion can afford or are interested in video games. Sony, Nintendo, and Apple will have to compete for that finite number.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kresh
I don't get it, why is everyone arguing sales of iPhone/iPod Touch vs DS/DSi/Wii as if one has to extinguish the other? Why does Nintendo or Sony have to lose in order for Apple to win?
If you take all the numbers you guys are arguing over they still add up to less than 100 million units. With a planet population of over 6 billion people there appears to be plenty of unaddressed marketshare out there.
It is possible for both the iPhone platform and the DS platform to be wildly popular without one having to destroy the other.
an Apple executive has out-and-out stated the device is a genuine competitor to the best handheld consoles on the market.
I love the iPhone, and I love the great gaming apps being developed for it. However, this is ridiculous... the iPhone is by no means a competitor to the DS in gaming capability. It is not even close. This popularity contest method of determining who is a competitor to whom is nothing but marketing BS.
To be a gaming platform with any credability, you need good games, not just truck loads of terrible games.
There is absolutely nothing on the iPhone to challenge even mid level DS or PSP fodder, let alone the AAA stuff on those platforms. The lack of buttons is always going to be a serious handicap, but also is the lack of quality developers available to Apple. Nintendo and Sony have amazing internal teams, which take years and lots of cash to build.
Apple should just focus on things the iPhone is actually good at, and pull their finger out and give us much in demand features like turn by turn GPS.
what can't the iphone do? its a phone, mobile internet device, music player, and now gaming platform. The App Store is making it the most versitile device that defies catagories.
What can't it do? How about turn by turn GPS? Cut and paste? Record video? Playback common video formats such as XVID? Play WMA files? Download podcasts of any real world size over 3G? Allow people to install better web browsers than the crash ridden train wreck that is Safari? I could go on...
The iPhone is a great device in many ways, but it's very, very far from perfect. Apple had better step their game up when more attractive Android devices arrive.
To be a gaming platform with any credability, you need good games, not just truck loads of terrible games.
There is absolutely nothing on the iPhone to challenge even mid level DS or PSP fodder, let alone the AAA stuff on those platforms. The lack of buttons is always going to be a serious handicap, but also is the lack of quality developers available to Apple. Nintendo and Sony have amazing internal teams, which take years and lots of cash to build.
Five months the App store has been open, here are a couple of examples, there are many others:-
Look what happens when you pay developers 70% of the revenue stream, protect their IP from piracy and make it extremely easy for customers make purchases.
I love the iPhone, and I love the great gaming apps being developed for it. However, this is ridiculous... the iPhone is by no means a competitor to the DS in gaming capability. It is not even close. This popularity contest method of determining who is a competitor to whom is nothing but marketing BS.
The iphone has the potential to take away sales. The DS is currently marketed to the older generation too and I'm sure they would feel much better about having an iphone or ipod touch than a kid's gaming machine if it let them do the same sort of things like sudoko, recipes or brain training. For younger people who prefer music but like some games then it's another DS purchase that's not needed.
The app store is just getting started. Within another year, the number of apps will be huge and much easier to access than DS apps as they are all downloadable. The iphone is way more powerful than the DS too (about 5 times more powerful).
Titles for the PSP and DS are pretty meagre. Mobile gaming really hasn't delivered much on these platforms. The PSP has under 20 decent games - I'd say under 10 decent unique franchises. The DS still plays on the old ones and the popular titles seem to be based on those.
Put 10-20 good games on the iphone and it's sufficient competition to be a threat to sales.
Comments
Right. And before Pokemon there was no such thing as a good game. Come on. Things change. Eras pass away and new eras begin. Think like a visionary for moment and not an automaton.
Did you not understand what the original poster said? This is not about eras and visions, it's about what games young kids want to play, which in and of itself dictates what platforms are purchased by their parents..
My daughter wants a DS, simply and only because of Pokemon and because it is what all her friends at school have. I have tried to sell her on the idea of a PSP as I think it is much better value for money, but she won't have a bar of it. I could be a great visionary and get her a Touch or a PSP and spout of about new eras, being original and not following the herd, but she would just cry her eyes out and hate me for it.
We bought an Xbox 360 and its precursor, simply and only because my son wanted them for Halo.
Games dictate sales of platforms. The Apple exec is a fool if he doesn't realise this. Sure games will sell in droves, but it is just a new incarnation of the ringtone phenomenon there was a few years ago with phones. They are selling because they are available and people are just adding accessory content, I doubt people are buying iPhones and Touches 'because' of the content. Until people are buying Apple hardware simply because a particular game they want will only run on it, that hardware should not be seen as a game platform.
If I were running Apple, I would be looking to spend a big chunk of that 20bn to get into the game console market - by buying content producers or establishing them. The other market I would be going for is GPS. I know the iPhone has some GPS functionality, but I have not seen anything to suggest it is good enough to have Garmin or TomTom worried.
If you take all the numbers you guys are arguing over they still add up to less than 100 million units. With a planet population of over 6 billion people there appears to be plenty of unaddressed marketshare out there.
It is possible for both the iPhone platform and the DS platform to be wildly popular without one having to destroy the other.
Ummmm, the iPhone is not a console. It's not a box that sits on the floor and it doesn't connect to a TV.
Guess you haven't been keeping up with current events. And reported ON THIS SITE, to boot.
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles...ng_device.html
Further shifting attention on the iPhone towards gaming, an Apple executive has out-and-out stated the device is a genuine competitor to the best handheld consoles on the market.
The comments come from Apple Director of Technology Evangelism John Geleynse, who witnesses for Engadget say made the aggressive claims at an iPhone Tech Talk in San Jose, near the company's Cupertino headquarters.
At the developer gathering, the official urged developers to forget about the handset as a traditional cellphone and, as game developers, to think of it strictly as a game console.
"It's not a phone, it's a console experience," Geleynse is reported as saying.
While a bold statement, the claim is in line with an increasingly gaming-centric marketing strategy at Apple. Virtually all of the electronics firm's video ads for the second-generation iPod touch have focused on gaming, while the majority of paid apps at the App Store have typically been games.
Other parties are also known to be getting involved as well. Electronic Arts on Friday said it will host special events at flagship Apple retail stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco during December to promote the iPhone and iPod touch as gaming platforms and show off the software company's game library.
Apple hasn't necessarily needed to ask for help to position its touchscreen handhelds as gaming devices, though, and has been achieving similar or better sales than offerings from Nintendo or Sony. Nintendo recently touted NPD Group data noting that it sold a near-record 1.56 million DS handhelds during November, but is likely to be outpaced by Apple's iPhone sales alone: in summer, the company sold 6.9 million iPhones
Having just having attended a full day at one of the iPhone Tech Talk developers program, I can't accept the entire direction that this article or the comments that came from it.
Firstly, we as developers realize that the iPhone can't compete with everything that some of the game consoles have accomplished. And I doubt we ever will, unless, the format of the iPhone is changed. Now will Apple do so on the next iterations? I wouldn't think so.
They don't have to.
What Apple was telling us during the program, that here was a cell phone on which developers were creating apps that were far beyond what everybody ever dreamed or is dreaming of.
As was evidenced, the success of the current slate of apps, and being apprised of a number of pre-releases, the extent of what can be accomplished is just in the infancy stage.
More important, what was obvious, was the fact that the playing rules have changed somewhat and that there is now a new game in town. Games that for now, didn't need all the accessories that real gamers want or have been accustomed to. Games by new and old boy developers in the business. Games, even with a 'perceived' number of limitations were being received with significant enthusiasm. Games that were new rehashes of older iterations were now being highly touted, just by changing or modiifying a few playing rules or the field.
The iPhone and iPod Touch has currently over 50 million potential 'game' players. Already, there are few million who have purchased and are actively playing on the iPhone. More will undoubtedly come, particularly after seeing a few that are in the final stages of development.
However, the format is not for everyone. Afterall, the iPhone, in particular, is not a toy. But with the sales of the iPhone and iPod Touch well approaching a 100 million units, there will be a move by many of those who would normally spend their monies on true gaming consoles towards Apple's offerings. Certainly, the prices that are being charged and the economy as such, the gaming future as we see it being developed now is well in Apple's favour.
My son has both. In fact, all the variations. Whether on his computer, console, my iPhone or iPod Touch, he has the luxury of flexibility whereever he is.
Unfortunately with the economy as it is now, I see more need to move towards the iPhone. Keeping in contact, searching for a job and listening to music or playing a game to release the tension and boredom of standing in the employment line, may become more of a norm for many. One which nobody predicted or wants. One which Nintendo's, Sony's or Microsoft's game consoles can't totally provide and one which diminishes their opportunity every time an iPhone or iPod Touch is sold.
Keep in mind though, and let's not begrudge the fact, that there is room for everybody. If we do, we all win.
what can't the iphone do? its a phone, mobile internet device, music player, and now gaming platform. The App Store is making it the most versitile device that defies catagories.
I can't wait til it makes coffee.
ASomething really light. I'm thinking something like (but just for explanation purposes) a PSP with the screen hollowed out and you just drop your phone/touch into the cavity resting on a thin back plate and you are good to go - as the console would recognise it via the dock connector activating the PSP style dpads on either side.
There was a rumor going round Belkin were working on one but it turns out they aren't:
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/09/01/belki...ans-sneak-out/
It would have folded in half so you could put it in your pocket.
I can see why you wouldn't want it to be honest because it would be awkward if someone called you while that was attached.
I don't actually think that a physical add-on is needed, just better thought put into the games by developers. Some accelerometer games actually control very well but others are terrible as the car moves too quickly based on the movement so you just end up bouncing off the walls all the time.
The problem is that most people are using the concepts from physical/home computer based games and just porting them over to the iPhone.
I agree completely:
1) you can't view the future through a rear view mirror
2) future hardware/firmware releases by Apple will define success or failure, not what's here and now
Would Apple, say, try doing the same as the other players and price the iPod Touch below cost to get more sales, things like that?
I don't think the hardware specs are the key here
You're right about the other stuff, but people bore quickly with games. Until/unless a faster processor and more memory in particular come up, it's going to stall among the competition.
Because of the iPhone/App Store there are a lot more ObjectiveC/Cocoa developers than ever before.
As far as the aTV goes, the next rev COULD BE a console/computer crossover using iPod touches and iphones as unique controllers along with more traditional controllers. One that does both Wii like games AND MS Office.
Apple's target is very much the same as Wii/DS and not so much PS3/PSP although I could see EA porting some form of Madden to the iPhone given the demographic that owns iPhones overlaps with guys that like sports.
As far as Pokemon and other exclusives...well, Apple does have a huge warchest if it really wanted in to the gaming market. I doubt it does though. And as for Pokemon specifically, the target demographic for the iPhone is older than that of the DS. Much more in line with the PSP I think really but more casual. Besides, there's always Sega. Sonic is no Mario but IS on the iPhone and can cater to the same kind of game play.
The ironic part is that the Imagination inc. PowerVR "MBX lite" in the iPhone/Touch is very weak in comparison to their latest chips. The reason why the iPhone looks so good is probably the OpenGL optimization and the fact that the competing Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP units are very old in computing terms. The new generation from Imagination is the PowerVR "SGX" line, and it has actually been out for quite a while now! If they combine an PowerVR SGX with the new ARM Cortex-A8 core for the next iPhone/Touch, it is going to blow away what we're seeing now!
There is a lot of confusion concerning IP cores. While the SGX IP core has been out for a while, actual processors using it have been slow to trickle out. The IP core is just a small fraction of the total die area of a chip. Companies who license the core still need to do quite a bit of designing, which can take years. For example, the Cortex-A8 IP core was finished in 2005 (before the SGX fyi), but we are only now seeing a few devices using it. That being said, I'm fairly certain 2009 will be the year where the Cortex-A8+SGX combo finally hits the high-end phone market. Hopefully the iphone will be one of them.
Particularly from developers like EA, Gameloft, Pangea etc
Hero of Sparta is an excellent example of on screen controls.
There is another group of developers who have demonstrated an iPhone/Touch game being played via TV out, a hidden feature which arrived with 2.2
(Note: this is a time when copy and paste on the iPhone would be really useful.)
I'd post links but can't.
Revenue rose by 3% this last quarter, which is not indicative of anything regarding the touch because Apple's also shipped/sold more iPods than ever in a non-holiday quarter.
It also doesn't help that I quoted actual sales from Media Create and NPD while Apple's numbers are shipments. I used a Nintendo PDF document which contained shipments, but the Wii is consistently sold out everywhere except Japan anyway.
At the same time their is a finite market for portable gaming. A small number of those 6 billion can afford or are interested in video games. Sony, Nintendo, and Apple will have to compete for that finite number.
I don't get it, why is everyone arguing sales of iPhone/iPod Touch vs DS/DSi/Wii as if one has to extinguish the other? Why does Nintendo or Sony have to lose in order for Apple to win?
If you take all the numbers you guys are arguing over they still add up to less than 100 million units. With a planet population of over 6 billion people there appears to be plenty of unaddressed marketshare out there.
It is possible for both the iPhone platform and the DS platform to be wildly popular without one having to destroy the other.
an Apple executive has out-and-out stated the device is a genuine competitor to the best handheld consoles on the market.
I love the iPhone, and I love the great gaming apps being developed for it. However, this is ridiculous... the iPhone is by no means a competitor to the DS in gaming capability. It is not even close. This popularity contest method of determining who is a competitor to whom is nothing but marketing BS.
There is absolutely nothing on the iPhone to challenge even mid level DS or PSP fodder, let alone the AAA stuff on those platforms. The lack of buttons is always going to be a serious handicap, but also is the lack of quality developers available to Apple. Nintendo and Sony have amazing internal teams, which take years and lots of cash to build.
Apple should just focus on things the iPhone is actually good at, and pull their finger out and give us much in demand features like turn by turn GPS.
what can't the iphone do? its a phone, mobile internet device, music player, and now gaming platform. The App Store is making it the most versitile device that defies catagories.
What can't it do? How about turn by turn GPS? Cut and paste? Record video? Playback common video formats such as XVID? Play WMA files? Download podcasts of any real world size over 3G? Allow people to install better web browsers than the crash ridden train wreck that is Safari? I could go on...
The iPhone is a great device in many ways, but it's very, very far from perfect. Apple had better step their game up when more attractive Android devices arrive.
To be a gaming platform with any credability, you need good games, not just truck loads of terrible games.
There is absolutely nothing on the iPhone to challenge even mid level DS or PSP fodder, let alone the AAA stuff on those platforms. The lack of buttons is always going to be a serious handicap, but also is the lack of quality developers available to Apple. Nintendo and Sony have amazing internal teams, which take years and lots of cash to build.
Five months the App store has been open, here are a couple of examples, there are many others:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIh8cXmWgmk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q462DiWU_5E
Look what happens when you pay developers 70% of the revenue stream, protect their IP from piracy and make it extremely easy for customers make purchases.
Console?
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paed...ing-device.ars
I love the iPhone, and I love the great gaming apps being developed for it. However, this is ridiculous... the iPhone is by no means a competitor to the DS in gaming capability. It is not even close. This popularity contest method of determining who is a competitor to whom is nothing but marketing BS.
The iphone has the potential to take away sales. The DS is currently marketed to the older generation too and I'm sure they would feel much better about having an iphone or ipod touch than a kid's gaming machine if it let them do the same sort of things like sudoko, recipes or brain training. For younger people who prefer music but like some games then it's another DS purchase that's not needed.
The app store is just getting started. Within another year, the number of apps will be huge and much easier to access than DS apps as they are all downloadable. The iphone is way more powerful than the DS too (about 5 times more powerful).
Titles for the PSP and DS are pretty meagre. Mobile gaming really hasn't delivered much on these platforms. The PSP has under 20 decent games - I'd say under 10 decent unique franchises. The DS still plays on the old ones and the popular titles seem to be based on those.
Put 10-20 good games on the iphone and it's sufficient competition to be a threat to sales.