Apple: Welcome to Gaming
A look at Apple's past and present gaming dabbles and what iPad means for gaming in the future.

Apple. Starting out as a garage-based hobby venture for two tech-savvy youths, the once humble computer manufacturer has now grown into one of the world's most revered companies. Mention the word "Apple", and one instantly conjures up images of premium computing devices, lavish design concepts and strangely named MP3 players. Despite all of Apple's successes - operating systems, digital content distribution, all-in-one computers, MP3 players and smartphones – there is one area that has always eluded Apple's stylish grasp, gaming. That is, until now.

After the launch of the iPad and announcement of iPhone OS 4, it seems the winds of change may be upon us. Just this month at a recent press conference, Apple officially laid down the gauntlet, calling out Nintendo and Sony as direct competitors to the iPhone and iPad.

So, if Steve Jobs wants a piece of the videogames industry pie, what can he bring to the table in terms of hardware and software to combat the big boys, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo? Well, that's what we're here for today. We'll be taking a detailed look at Apple's past gaming dabbles, what the iPhone and iPad means for gaming in the present, and some possible future directions the company may be traveling towards.

The Past – Along Came Pippin

Back in the early-to-mid nineties, the videogames industry was going from strength to strength, and with the promise of the next generation of consoles about to hit the market, things weren't slowing down any time soon. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that there was money to be made in videogames, and with a nice selection of home, business and education based computing needs covered, Apple was looking to expand into different areas.

In 1994, research and development was started on a home computer/videogame console hybrid, and in conjunction with Bandai, Apple set out to create an inexpensive computer aimed mostly at playing CD-based games, but also giving consumers access to the world wide web.

Just like the namesake of their home computer range, the Macintosh, Apple's Pippin was named after a variety of apple. Containing a 4x CD-ROM drive and a 66 MHz PowerPC processor, the Pippin was released to the public in limited supply in Japan during December 1995, and the United States on September 1st, 1996. Launching for US$599, the Pippin entered a market already filled with cheaper and more established options for consumers, namely Sony's Playstaion and Sega's Saturn. Despite being labeled as a home computer, Pippin was still a console at heart, and with Bandai being the only major publisher on launch, things turned pear shaped very quickly.

Just two short years after it's release, Pippin's production was halted, and quietly slipped into the annals of videogame history. Although the console has been classed as one of the worst tech products of all time, Apple learnt a valuable lesson, and the company bashfully bowed out of the videogame industry for good… or so it seemed.

The Present – The Apple of My i

iPod - The late nineties were not kind to Apple. The company's profits and products were hitting an all time low, and with business floundering, the end seemed nigh. Apple needed a product to put them back on top, something that people needed, not what they wanted. In 2001, Apple delivered such a product. That product was iPod.

The iPod was an instant hit. Being able to carry your entire music library in your pocket was an alluring prospect, and coupled with Apple's iTunes Store, the iPod stream-rolled the competition. With company founder Steve Jobs back at the helm and a must have device under his belt, things started looking up for Apple. Over the following years, Apple continued to refine the iPod's look and feel, occasionally adding in new features to the overall design. iTunes also continued to receive updates in tandem to the device, and due to the eventual inclusion of a hi-res colour screen in later models, the iPod gained the ability to play games.

Although simple in nature, mainly due to the rudimentary control interface, gaming on the iPod proved quite popular. Starting out with quick time wasters such as Solitaire and Brick, these early titles were included within the iPod's OS. It didn't take long for the big publishers and developers to take note, and in no time, the iTunes Store expanded to offer downloadable titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Zuma, Pac-Man and various others. The little device even received a couple of exclusives such as Harmonix's Guitar Hero-esque Phase, and Square Enix's tactical RPG, Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes. Gaming on the iPod was only the tip of the iceberg, for Apple's journey through the videogame industry was destined to take an interesting turn, even if Steve Jobs and co. didn't see it coming.

iPhone/ iPod Touch – With the iPod a success and over one-hundred million served, rumors and speculation started on Apple's "next big thing". On dimly lit stage on January 9 2007, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone to an un-expecting public. Touted as a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod and a breakthrough internet device, the iPhone became an overnight phenomenon. With its multi-touch screen and GPS capabilities, the iPhone oozed potential for many different applications, gaming included. Hackers obviously saw this as well, and underground developers started exploiting the device straight away. Through a number of steps, hackers made it possible to "Jailbreak" one's iPhone, resulting in a flood of aftermarket features that could be downloaded. Games, wallpapers, themes and tools were just some of many applications that were made available. Apple tried to stop this unauthorized tampering with a string of firmware updates, but to no avail, as hackers would pump out a fix in a matter of days.

By jailbreaking the iPhone, users were treated to a virtual smorgasboard of gaming features. Emulators made it possible to play NES, MegaDrive/Genesis and even Game Boy Advance games right on the device. The possibilities for gaming on the iPhone was immediately apparent, along with the multitude of other features the phone could perform, and the bigwigs at Apple were obviously taking notice. As the old saying goes, "If you can't beat 'em, make them pay for it". And that's exactly what Jobsy did. The App Store opened on July 10, 2008 via an update to iTunes, and allowed users to download a variety of applications for the phone, and gave developers a controlled space in which to present their wares to paying consumers.

Since then, the iPhone has come leaps and bounds as a potential handheld gaming device. What started out as somewhat of a novelty, gaming on the iPhone has become commonplace, and by giving gamers fast and easy access to an online library of games 24/7, it has unintentionally become a direct competitor for both the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. While the DS and PSP are dedicated gaming handhelds, what the iPhone holds in its corner is versatility. Being an all-in-one device, the iPhone has the advantage on always being on your person without becoming cumbersome to carry around, and its largely inexpensive game library makes for less of a gamble when throwing down money on impulse purchases.

At this month's iPhone OS 4 event, Steve Jobs presented a sneak peak at the device's upcoming firmware feature set, detailing 7 of the proposed 100 new updates coming this June. The most interesting and game-changing (pun unintended) feature shown at the event would have to be Game Center. In a move that puts the iPhone in direct comparison with the PSP and DS, Game Center will be an Xbox Live-esque unified online service, allowing gamers to track their buddies through a universal friends list, and send game invites with one tap. The service will also include matchmaking, leaderboards and even an Achievement system.

Game Center will definitely stirs the waters of handheld gaming and legitimize the iPhone as a true contender. Currently, Nintendo and Sony have been caught saying they do not fear the iPhone, and even with the announcement of Game Center, still do not see it as a true competitor. As with any console or handheld, the iPhone and iPod Touch's success all depends on the software. And with more and more big publishers and developers jumping on board with ports of existing franchises or brand new IPs,

iPad – Apple's latest creation has been met with a lukewarm response as far as its potential as a viable gaming platform goes. Sporting a larger, higher resolution screen and custom built A4 chipset, the iPad has been viewed by many as just a "big iPod Touch". But the iPad is so much more than that. If anything, the iPad oozes potential, and is not to be judged on initial impressions. As with the iPhone, the iPad is only as good as the software that's created for it, and developers have not yet had enough time to delve into the possibilities.

While still in its infancy, the iPad has shown some impressive gaming applications thus far, with titles such as Scrabble and Plant vs. Zombies proving perfect fits for Apple's newest device. Pulling from a library of thousands of upscalable iPhone games already available, iPad already has enough games on tap to keep people busy until we start to see some innovative and fresh titles that take advantage of the new hardware.

The Future – Touch The Sky

iPhone OS 4/ iPad – Right now, the future seems bright for Apple's gaming aspirations. With the iPhone, iPod Touch and now iPad in the wild, gamers have quite a choice when it comes to choosing a handheld gaming device. Despite the success of the iPhone and Touch's gaming prowess, they do not come without their problems. Probably the biggest gripe would have to be the touch screen itself. As a control input, the touch screen lends itself well to certain genres such as puzzle and RTS, but it's when you up the action in a game that issues start to arise. To truly go toe-to-toe with Sony and Nintendo, Apple needs to release an attachable controller of some sort. Now I know what you think, who is going to carry around an extra attachment for their iPhone, but by giving developers the option of a traditional control interface, we could start to see more and more advanced titles, and not just cheap cash ins with bloody tilt controls.

Game Center is what most developers will now be concentrating on now. Giving devs the tools to implement social game spaces will attract more and more causal gamers, and features such as leaderboards and matchmaking will satiate the hardcore crowd. Having a unified online service is an invaluable asset, it is why Microsoft has been able to stay in front of the competition throughout the console war with Xbox Live. Only time will tell if Game Center is set to be the ace up the sleeve that Apple needs to dance with Sony and Nintendo at the handheld gaming party.

Apple TV – Handheld gaming devices are great and all, but for most gamers they tend to be a time waster while commuting or something to do in-between meetings. The real bread and butter in a gamer's life is their home console. But Apple has all ready tried and failed in that area, right? Technically yes, but their may still be a glimmer of hope for those who wish to see Apple pumping some gaming goodness into your lounge room. It's called the Apple TV. Right now, the Apple TV is Steve Job's little side project, the little freakish stepchild of Apple's family locked away in a basement, only to be brought out for birthday parties and fed with scraps and leftovers. But with the success of the App Store and the recently announced Game Center, Apple TV could become a whole different beast. If Apple chooses to update the Apple TV with App Store support, and maybe allow the iPhone or iPod Touch to be used and a controller, we could see a serious contender to Nintendo's Wii.

Being able to download games straight to your Apple TV would give the device a whole new lease of life, essentially becoming an extension of the iTunes store as a whole. Heck, why stop there. Why not take on Valve's online videogame store Steam, and introduce the App Store for the iMac and Macbook. The possibilities are endless.

If you're still reading, then you must have some sort of hope that Apple turns its gaming dreams into reality, and keeps pushing forward with the impressive path that has been laid with the iPhone and iPad. Those who say Apple isn't cut out for the videogames industry are probably snickered when Microsoft announced they were making a console, but look where they are now. If anything, the videogames industry, nay, technology in general is very hard to predict. Analysts have tried in the past, and ended up eating the own words. Competition is what pushes the industry forward as a whole, so, in closing, here is one gamer that greets this newcomer with open arms. Apple, welcome to gaming.  Adam Sutton