Apple announced yesterday during iPhone event new details regarding their newest iteration of the iPhone and an update to their iOS operating system. Sure, the new phone will have a better camera and whatnot, but how will all this affect those that use Apple's i-devices as gaming platforms? The following is a summary of what Apple's newest iOS update will mean to gamers.
]
Apple's iCloud Service
The iPhone and iPod touch finally get cloud save and profile support through Apple's newly announced online storage service, iCloud. Being forced to start your games over after formatting your iPhone is now a thing of the past! Apple device owners who sign up for iCloud get 5GB of free storage. This can be used for just about anything- music, apps, books, TV shows, and most importantly (for gamers, anyhow)- games saves and profiles. The first among the games to use this service is Epic Games' newly announced Infinite Blade 2.
Apple's iCloud service and iOS 5 firmware update is set to go live on October 12th.
Game Center Update
Game Center finally gets the long-overdue overhaul that it needs. If the iOS is to be taken seriously as a gaming platform, Game Center has a long way to go to compete with the likes of XBOX Live or the PSN. The Game Center update will now allow players to post a profile picture, adding a touch of personalization to what was once just a name. Game recommendations are now available to GC users based on the games that you play, and the games played by your friends.
Users can also browse Game Center games without leaving the app, streamlining the entire overall process. And finally, there will not be an overall achievement score based on all of the Game Center games that you've played. No specifics were mentioned yet, but it appears that this will be similar to the achievement score system on XBOX live or the trophy system on the PSN.
iPhone 4S' Gaming-Enhancing Hardware Features
The iPhone 4S will feature improved hardware, which will ultimately enhance your gaming experience. The iPhone 4S will feature Apple's dual-core A5 chip. What this does will apparently give the phone “two times more power and up to seven times faster graphics” (relative to the iPhone 4, that is). The chip is also going to be more energy efficient than that of previous iPhones, improving the battery life of the device.
