Apple Unveils 'Game Center' iPhone Gaming Network

April 8, 2010 11:43 AM

As part of its developer preview for iPhone OS 4, Apple revealed "Game Center", a "social gaming network" for the iPhone , iPod Touch, and the recently released iPad.

The network might be launching alongside iPhone OS 4, which is scheduled for a "summer" release, but could be after the initial launch. The announced features are:

Friend Invites
Matchmaking
Leaderboards
Achievements (point-based)

Game Center was not discussed in-depth at the preview event, but this is sure to be a hit to companies like ngmoco and Aurora Feint, both of which operate an iPhone OS gaming network in Plus+ and OpenFeint respectively.

Unfortunately, iPhone OS 4 will not work across all iPhone SO devices.

iPhone OS 4 will work with iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and the second- and third-generation iPod touch this summer, and with iPad in the fall. Not all features are compatible with all devices. For example, multitasking is available only with iPhone 3GS and the third-generation iPod touch (32GB and 64GB models from late 2009).

This has huge implications for iPhone gaming and a standardized social gaming network is something that I've wanted on the platform for a long time. The iPhone OS 4 SDK is available now to developers and will launch to consumers this summer. Other announced improvements include multitasking, an Apple-run advertising network, iBooks, folders and more.

Brian Leahy

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araczynski

 reply
April 8, 2010 11:49 AM

blah blah blah, more importantly, he said that we can now have FOLDERS for grouping apps, no more retarded 11 page (+ couple cheating pages) limits.
- asynchronice
  
   reply
  April 8, 2010 4:24 PM
  
  dude, if you have 11 pages of stuff, it's time for some spring cleaning brosef.