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Apple planning major app discovery and purchasing overhaul with iOS 6

Chartboost claims firmware to lead the line

Apple planning major app discovery and purchasing overhaul with iOS 6
Ahead of Apple's expected iPhone 5 unveiling in San Francisco, we've received word that it'll be iOS announcements that will actually dominate the headlines from a developer perspective

According to Clay Kellogg – formally of AdMob, but now chief revenue officer at user acquisition platform Chartboost – the only major upgrade on the hardware front will be the iPhone 5's larger screen.

The real meat of the press conference, he claims, will be iOS 6.

No hard announcements

"Apple's next iPhone may have a larger screen, but the changes announced tomorrow that will have the most impact on game developers won't come in the form factor, but in iOS 6," Kellogg said in an email.

"We expect iOS 6 to allow users to access the iTunes App Store without leaving an app or game, and to remove the need to sign in when downloading a free game.

"Both of these changes remove steps from the app discovery and purchasing process - removing one step to downloading free games and also allowing developers to cross promote their games or advertise others' games without asking the players to leave the game they are currently playing in order to download or purchase a new one."

Kellogg claims such changes may seem "trivial", but that "removing small steps in the game discovery process like these can make a world of difference with users and their purchasing decisions."

You can read what the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Gaming Mavens are looking to see from iPhone 5 here.

With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.