Apple to turn the iPhone into a handheld game console?

Could the iPhone transcend the smartphone market and enter the realm of handheld gaming consoles? apple certainly thinks so, with the company’s John Geleynse recently claiming the phone could be a next-generation handheld gaming device. Calling it a potential rival to both the DS and the PSP, Geleynse's words aren't that much different from Apple's general point of view, which lends credence to the claim that Apple may try to push the device as suitable for a gaming experience.

Certain Apple stories this month in the U.S. will have an EA hosted “Games Sneak Peak” event, which will apparently outline where the iPhone (and iPod touch) could be headed in terms of gaming. The idea is truly novel – you have a single device that can handle your phone calls, email, geo-location, scheduling, music playing and more, then add “console” gaming on top of it. It certainly sounds appealing.

On the flip side of that, if you look at the design of any existing handheld console, you'll see that their developers put a lot of faith in having ample hand room and plenty of buttons to toy with. The iPhone is a sleek but tiny device, and Apple might have a very hard time convincing people that it's also a “handheld console”.

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