When you have a cumulative total of 400 million users having tapped into your ecosystem, is there anything wrong with serving up more of the same?
According to Yippee Entertainment the studio behind Chillingo's recent iOS hit Chimpact most of the advancements announced during Apple's iPhone 5 press blitz will have the biggest impact on those looking to use the device as a media player.
That said, the larger screen should also make the lives of devs who struggle to fit in all the action on iPhone 4S's current 3.5-inch display a little easier.
We caught up with commercial director Lorraine Starr and technical director Steve Ruddy for their take on all things iPhone 5.
Pocket Gamer: Broadly speaking, what did you make of Apple's iPhone 5 unveiling?
Steve Ruddy: Although evolutionary rather than revolutionary, the bigger screen makes the new iPhone much more appealing for as a media player yay, widescreen movies and TV.
Obviously thinner, lighter, improved performance and better battery life also make the phone much cooler and desirable.
Lorraine Starr: I don't think it was as innovative as all the hype suggested, but there are some nice new features.
Specifically from a developer's point of view, what features excite you the most about the new iPhone?
SR: The additional screen real estate allows for more interaction and flexibility in game design.
For Chimpact, we'll be extending our rendering and physically simulating more objects to take advantage of the screen and extra processing power - being able to see further in Chimpact means you can plan better strategies to collect perfect banana strings and the like.
LS: The graphics display and the improved speed should make everything much brighter and smoother, and as you know, we focus on high quality and we are looking forward to fully taking advantage of this.
Specifically with Chimpact, it will be brilliant to display more of the maps and environments, which will make an even more enjoyable gameplay experience.
Is there anything missing from the device?
SR: Siri for northerners?
LS: Definitely wireless charging like the Nokia Lumia 920. I believe Apple is going to ship an adapter for the new connector in the box.
However, everyone has at least two or more chargers and docks etc, so its going to be expensive to purchase adapters for them all.
Maybe Apple needs to include a pack of four adaptors.
What kind of impact do you think it will have on the market. Is this a guaranteed best seller?
LS: There are some cool things, such as the sleek design, map update, built in panoramic camera ability, and improved Siri that will certainly make die-hard Apple fans rush out to buy it.
Will this guarantee it to be a best seller? Only time will tell.
SR: Being the latest and greatest it will sell well regardless, but I think the change in aspect ratio really is a game changer for using it as a portable media player.
Thanks to Lorraine and Steve for their time.
Interview
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
Related Articles
Top Stories
Feature
May 17th, 2024
New release roundup: The best new mobile games from a battle royale to a console classic remake
Feature
May 16th, 2024
Behind the scenes: How adding sandwich offers to an idle merge game boosted three metrics at once
Events
Digital Dragons | Europe | May 19th |
GamesBeat Summit 2024 | North America | May 20th |
Mobidictum Meetup Tallinn May 2024 | Europe | May 21st |
Nordic Game Spring 2024 | Nordic | May 21st |
Impact 2024 - Indie Games | May 23rd | |
Morocco Gaming Expo | Africa | May 24th |
MomoCon 2024 | North America | May 24th |
Unreal Fest Gold Coast 2024 | Australasia | May 29th |
Popular Stories
Feature
May 14th, 2024
53 top mobile games in soft launch: Squad Busters, Battle Guys: Royale, Plants vs. Zombies 3, LEGO Hill Climb Adventures, and more
Feature
May 13th, 2024
Hot Five: Dubai's new Gaming Visa, April's mobile game charts, and Xbox studio closures
Feature
May 14th, 2024