The Iphone/Android isnt really an established gaming platform. Most of the games on these phones are "Elevator Games", quick little diversions to play around with while during short breaks, in waiting rooms and what not, where pulling out your psp or DS would be impractical (depending on your level of practiciality). Would you spend 3 hours playing angry birds? But people would spend 3 hours or more straight playing Call of Duty, easy. The games are too cheap for developers to make high profile titles. Would you ever see a 30+ hour RPG on an android? Or have the tactile reponse of a controller for input on an Iphone, a phone with barely any buttons let alone an analog stick. Would many people out there go for a title (or several for that matter) for 30-50 bucks on a phone, that they most likely upgrade in a few years? If they lose their phone, or it breaks? Will they be able to get a new one and re-download/transfer all their 30-50 dollar titles? I own a DS. The games come on carts where I can interchange them and they are always there unless they break. My DS will always be there as well, untill it breaks or dies. I dont have to trade my DS in, or add it to the pile of old phones I have. I know all the games will work just fine, and the control input is predictable (weather the games are themselves good are another story entirely lol).Android based Phones are churned out way too quickly often times with different internal specs (Storage memory "Ram" or system memory if you will, Processor design and speed) I have an android based phone, and most of them are mini games, not "real" games. Android/Iphone has a LONG way to go before even attempting to compete with something like a 3DS or a PSP. If the next PSP is actually a phone as well - I feel that it will be doomed to failure, much like the N-gage.
One problem that an "all in one" Gaming handheld/Phone has is the the Cell phone service providers themselves. There is a lot of vendor lock in with cell phones in the US, "Locked" Cell phones are pretty much all you can get (yes I know you can unlock some cell phones, but that is beyond your average cellphone user) If Nintendo or Sony decided to release their "Gaming Phone" to the masses, what carrier would have the rights to sell it? ATT? T-mobile? If you have Sprint and are in a 2 year contract with them and Verizon wireless gets the exclusive rights to a Gaming handheld phone, your outta luck unless you cough up 200 bucks to break your contract with sprint.
There is so much talk about how phones are slowly eroding the handheld market. I say that's just plain stupid. It two completly different markets,
Phones and Game Systems don't mix. When I want to game on the go, or I am away from my console, I whip out my DS or PSP. When I want to talk on the phone or text, I whip out my Android phone. Plain and simple.
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