Enter Apple?

[Singin Hobo]

Apple Extending Trademark to Include Handheld Gaming

Trademark notes that Apple has filed to extend their Apple trademark into new areas, covering:
Toys, games and playthings, namely, hand-held units for playing electronic games; hand-held units for playing video games; stand alone video game machines; electronic games other than those adapted for use with television receivers only; LCD game machines; electronic educational game machines; toys, namely battery-powered computer games

The filing took place on February 5th, 2008.

Apple's iPods have always contained a few built-in games, but in 2006, Apple extended this to allow 3rd party developers release downloadable games through iTunes. The trademark application, however, will certainly reignite rumors that Apple is seriously pursing its own game development or even its own game console.

Apple has been known to be recruiting game developers back in 2006, and has authored a number of the existing iPod games. In the mid 90's, Apple did launch a short lived game console called Pippin.

Update: Game Developer Job listing (http://jobs.apple.com/index.ajs?BID=1&method=mExternal.showJob&RID=10680&CurrentPage=1) from Apple, via 9to5.
Video Game Design and Production. Successful candidate possesses a proven track-record of producing and designing great video games.

This may not mean much, as Apple has already written and released a number of iPod games.http://www.macrumors.com/2008/02/10/apple-extending-trademark-to-include-hand-held-gaming/

While I'm confident that it would be the best built machine on the market I'm not so sure that the market has room for another console. In fact I'm sure it doesn't.

[Crazy Jamie]

While I'm confident that it would be the best built machine on the market I'm not so sure that the market has room for another console. In fact I'm sure it doesn't.
I agree completely. The extent of the Trademark extension strongly suggests that Apple are at least considering the possibility of entering the handheld market. If that were to happen there is no doubt that Apple would come up with a superb product, but they would be at a disadvantage given how packed the market is right now.

[Xu Huang]

It depends on whether they sell a dedicated handheld or merely incorporate games playing into the latest ithing incarnation. If it's the former then it could be the next N-Gage, if it's the latter then it'll sell well regardless of how well the gaming side of the product fares. They might even have it fully on downloaded content similar to what they have now.

[Ants!]

I think Apple has every advantage in the world in making a great handheld. The only problem is that, while the console market has expanded enough to support three systems, the handheld market can barely support two at the moment. If they made a handheld its only chance would be if it somehow managed to crush one of the ones already out there, which I don't see how they can. At best they could maybe try to wiggle in at whatever time Nintendo and Sony are coming out with their next generation of handhelds, and even then they'd be banking on one of them to screw up in order to have a chance.

[~Lightning~]

Now, if there was something like an iPod combined with a DS then I would certainly buy it.

However, I'm happy with my iPod and DS :P

[Simple]

This could be good, it could be great, even. But I think that Nintendo already has such a firm grip on the handheld console market that Apple won't get much leeway. This'll probably be a next-gen thing.

[Spectro]

Sounds like it's going to be garbage. Garbage like the N-Gage or cellphone video games.

[Ants!]

No I think it would actually be a pretty decent system, unlike Nokia they have a lot more experience than with just cellular phones. An Apple handheld would probably flop for a number of reasons, but not the one that doomed the N-Gage which is just plain suck.

[Silent Kayos]

I actually think an Apple developed handheld game system would bring something new to the handheld market. It might not dethrone Nintendo but feature wise I'm sure it would be great.

[IIMarckus]

here's hoping they let us change the battery

[Spectro]

No I think it would actually be a pretty decent system, unlike Nokia they have a lot more experience than with just cellular phones. An Apple handheld would probably flop for a number of reasons, but not the one that doomed the N-Gage which is just plain suck.
I don't see any difference in Nokia and Apple when it comes to creating game systems. They both have zero experience, so that's why Apple's is going to fail like the N-Gage. At least the N-Gage also had a built in cellphone.

[Singin Hobo]

Except that a game system is a computer... and Apple hardware and operating systems work better than any other.

Y'know what... forget it. I'm not necessarily making a huge case for Apple entering the market, but if you can't honestly see a billion differences between Nokia and Apple in this regard there's nothing I can say to you. Go on being whatever it is you are.

[Silent Kayos]

I don't see any difference in Nokia and Apple when it comes to creating game systems. They both have zero experience, so that's why Apple's is going to fail like the N-Gage. At least the N-Gage also had a built in cellphone.


That's what they said about Sony with the PSX...

and apple does have experience with video game consoles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Pippin)...

[Simple]

The Pippin was hardly the kind of success one builds foundations on.

[Eric!]

That's what they said about Sony with the PSX...

and apple does have experience with video game consoles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Pippin)...
I've never even heard of it. That's not good experience.

[Silent Kayos]

I never said it was good experience.

[Crazy Jamie]

I don't see any difference in Nokia and Apple when it comes to creating game systems. They both have zero experience, so that's why Apple's is going to fail like the N-Gage. At least the N-Gage also had a built in cellphone.If you're discounting PCs and laptops as game systems, then Microsoft didn't have any experience either until they brought the Xbox out.