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Apple Preparing a ‘Portable Hybrid Console’ With a Brand New SoC That Offers Enhanced GPU Performance Increase

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

Apparently, Apple is working on a portable hybrid console that will feature a brand new SoC, and with it, we can expect some performance improvements along the way.

Custom SoC for Rumored Portable Hybrid Console May Also Feature Ray Tracking Support​

A post spotted on the Korean community website Clien talks about Apple preparing a Switch-like console. Qualcomm was recently reported to be working on something similar, but many readers would be wondering that if Apple’s iPhone and iPad line are already touting powerful chipsets, what is the need for such a product? Overall, Apple’s mobile devices are not geared towards gamers, so even if the hardware is more than capable, iPhones and iPads are not designed to have thick internal cooling systems as Apple prioritizes a sleek form factor.

This rumored portable hybrid console might have some room to pack a capable cooler, and some others aspects may set it apart from the rest of Apple’s products. Firstly, the post claims that the company is working on a new SoC, and it will not be categorized under the A-Series of M-series of chipsets. Previously, MauriQHD spoke about Apple working on an ARM-based console, but it was rumored to tout an A-series chip, not a brand new one. With this console, Apple could make it slightly thicker, and a larger display means more surface area for spreading the heat.

Apple may be working on multiple prototypes in secrecy, as the company was previously rumored to have sent an Apple TV featuring an A14X Bionic to developers for testing purposes. Perhaps the biggest difference of this portable hybrid console is its SoC delivering enhanced GPU performance and providing ray tracing support. The rumor also says that Apple is negotiating with notable game developer Ubisoft, possibly to bring exclusive titles to the Apple Arcade.

 

MetalRain

Member
I guess some variation of M1 is plenty capable to be console, I just wonder which trade-offs they would make and how would they fit in the Apple ecosystem where you have certain expectations.
 
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ManaByte

Gold Member
apple-pippin.jpg
 

Derktron

Banned
I mean if they do their own SOC and OEM which obviously they will use their own and it's powerful enough to run the games that the Switch can currently do and it's somewhat affordable and successful and has devs behind it, Nintendo can very well be in trouble now if the device is only for Apple Arcade games then it won't go anywhere but hell. I can see this going two places, it can be successful if and only they get actual devs to support the system and it becomes successful or the other route would be that it's only for Apple Arcade games and it's meant for a small market. I don't know I think Nintendo should be sleeping with one eye open just in case.
 
If the arguable leading company in the gaming industry can't find their ass with both hands, twice, in their attempts to compete with Nintendo in the handheld business, I don't think Apple has a shot in hell. Microsoft spent an absurd amount of money buying it's way into the industry with solid hardware, and outstanding software for the console space. Apple doesn't have the stomach to spend that kind of cash.
 
let's get the "portable" part straight here: it's a VR/AR standalone headset, much like the Oculus Quest.

Apple has long been known to be working on it in VR circles.

2022 onwards, Sony, Facebook, Apple, Valve, HTC, Microsoft, HP, Samsung and others will be again pushing the next generation of wearable computing heavily. Get used to the idea of abandoning last century tech like tv, keyboard, mouse and gamepad for generalized and contextual spatial computing and gaming all around you. Sorry for retrards wishing new tech to die, but these can still live in the past by playing 80s games in emulators on a virtual crt in a virtual 80s bedroom or basement of their preference...
 

CobraAB

Member

Apparently, Apple is working on a portable hybrid console that will feature a brand new SoC, and with it, we can expect some performance improvements along the way.

Custom SoC for Rumored Portable Hybrid Console May Also Feature Ray Tracking Support​

A post spotted on the Korean community website Clien talks about Apple preparing a Switch-like console. Qualcomm was recently reported to be working on something similar, but many readers would be wondering that if Apple’s iPhone and iPad line are already touting powerful chipsets, what is the need for such a product? Overall, Apple’s mobile devices are not geared towards gamers, so even if the hardware is more than capable, iPhones and iPads are not designed to have thick internal cooling systems as Apple prioritizes a sleek form factor.

This rumored portable hybrid console might have some room to pack a capable cooler, and some others aspects may set it apart from the rest of Apple’s products. Firstly, the post claims that the company is working on a new SoC, and it will not be categorized under the A-Series of M-series of chipsets. Previously, MauriQHD spoke about Apple working on an ARM-based console, but it was rumored to tout an A-series chip, not a brand new one. With this console, Apple could make it slightly thicker, and a larger display means more surface area for spreading the heat.

Apple may be working on multiple prototypes in secrecy, as the company was previously rumored to have sent an Apple TV featuring an A14X Bionic to developers for testing purposes. Perhaps the biggest difference of this portable hybrid console is its SoC delivering enhanced GPU performance and providing ray tracing support. The rumor also says that Apple is negotiating with notable game developer Ubisoft, possibly to bring exclusive titles to the Apple Arcade.


Some people said the same of Microsoft and Sony before that.
 

sainraja

Member
OH SNAP! If true. It will definitely be interesting to see them enter the gaming race. What kind of games will they have is what I'd be interested in seeing. The hardware will be solid though and might actually change the narrative of my hardware is better than yours given how good Apple is with iPhone and optimization.
 
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Even if it's competently built hardware it's gonna be a real uphill battle against Nintendo.

Do you want the Switch that has Mario Kart or the one that doesn't? Seems like an easy choice for most. Can't imagine anything with Apple's branding is gonna be cheap, either.
Easy, make all iOS apps compatible. It would just be another device in the iOS family. This can easily replace the iPod Touch aka the iPlay.
 

jufonuk

not tag worthy
Even if it's competently built hardware it's gonna be a real uphill battle against Nintendo.

Do you want the Switch that has Mario Kart or the one that doesn't? Seems like an easy choice for most. Can't imagine anything with Apple's branding is gonna be cheap, either.
Yeh but really cheap mobile ports and Apple Arcade games be excite.
 

BabyYoda

Banned
Well they already are with their iPhones/iPads....sad thing to see, but mobile gaming is the thing nowadays.
If you wanna consider that gaming, knock yourself out. For me, it's as much true gaming as the Virtual Boy is a Holodeck!
 

nbkicker

Member
Im one of the biggest apple fan boys out there, but i just cant see this happening at all, just look on apple arcade and there been odd title thats been ok, but rest are rubbish for me, plus looking at apples pricing for phones, watches, ipad, headphones etc i cant see them bringing this in at a sellable price or competitve price there more chance sony or micrsoft releasing a handheld before apple
 

M1chl

Currently Gif and Meme Champion
If you wanna consider that gaming, knock yourself out. For me, it's as much true gaming as the Virtual Boy is a Holodeck!
I didn't say what I believe, but it's simply true, especially with those news that Call of Duty mobile generated billions of dollars in revenue. Hell, my feelings don't consider playing Fortnite and other shit like that as a "gaming".
 

Isurus

Member
I don't see this happening, primarily because I don't think Apple would be successful in the market at the margins they typically target for hardware. The iPhone has a gross profit margin of approx. 35%, which I believe is the general rule of thumb for Apple hardware. I don't see a hardware in the gaming market being successful, sales-wise, at the prices that would be associated with that targeted gross profit margin. Also, their services business already has a gross profit margin of something like 65%, so they have the best of both worlds in their current businesses and I don't see them as trading one off at this point.
 
"Fun for the whole family! Introducing our curated family friendly games. We don't believe in violence or anything that goes against our guidelines."

Overpriced, under featured "gaming" console, and it would probably have weird controllers with only 3 buttons, and would need to be recharged every 3 hours. The pro model has 4 buttons and lasts 5.5 hours. Magical.
 

stranno

Member
Apple only designed it. It was pretty much the 3DO Company of the 3DO consoles. Unlike the 3DO tho, only Bandai manufactured it, while 3DO had a few more companies, like Phillips or Goldstar.

On 3DO the manufacturers and developers were different companies, so the hardware was crazy expensive. On Pippin tho, Bandai did most games, but it was still expensive xD
 
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