Apple Gaming Device: Is Apple in Position to Dominate ‘Gaming-Capable’ Device Market?

Apple Gaming Device: Although many people don’t think primarily about gaming when it comes to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) devices, such as the iPhone and iPad, this is something to pay attention to in the years to come. Have you seen Apple’s 15 most mind-blowing patents?

A recent report by International Data Corporation (IDC), shows that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has positioned itself nicely to take full advantage of a gaming shift that is likely to occur over the next four years.

The report – IDC Mobile/Portable Gaming Forecast Finds That Paying Smartphone and Tablet Gamers Will Surpass the Number of Paying Gaming-Optimized Handheld Gamers This Year – talks about the current and future state of smartphone and tablet gaming, including the fact that companies, including Apple Inc., maybe able to benefit as a growing number of people rely more and more on these types of devices to play games.

Here is an excerpt from the piece, detailing the rise of gaming-capable smartphones and tablets:

“The GOH market category, typified by Nintendo’s 3DS and Sony’s PlayStation Vita, has recently been overshadowed by gaming-capable smartphones and tablets and this trend is likely to continue. IDC research shows, for example, that the number of paying smartphone and tablet gamers will surpass the number of paying GOH gamers worldwide in 2013 and rise at a rapid rate through 2017. The number of GOH bundles shipped, meanwhile, should fall at an average of nearly 7% per year over the next five years. The installed base of GOH’s is being overwhelmed by smartphones and tablets that are used for (primarily casual) gaming.”

It may be a surprise to many that things are already shifting in the favor of smartphone and tablet gamers with this group set to surpass the “number of paying GOH gamers worldwide” by the end of the year.

The study goes on to point out that there is one benefit for devices, such as the 3DS: average revenue per user.

According to IDC research manager Lewis Ward, here is what Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s competition needs to do:

“In order for Nintendo’s and Sony’s gaming-optimized handhelds to remain ahead of smartphones and tablets on key metrics such as ARPU, these companies and their game card developer and publisher partners will have to redouble their efforts in a number of respects.”

As you can see, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has a lot of green grass ahead of it as far as gaming is concerned. Will the Cupertino based company be able to take full advantage, or will it let another company, such as Google, sneak in and win out?

Check back here for more updates on Apple Gaming Device.

DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.

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