Valve chief says Apple will own your living room
iConsole on the cards?
Valve Software chief Gabe Newell reckons Apple will soon become a major player in the console biz by launching a product that will own the living room.
The prediction was made by Newell at the WTIA TechNW conference this week in Washington DC.
The head of the outfit behind games such as Half Life and Counter-Strike, as well as the digital distribution network Steam, was discussing whether the console business has run its course, The Seattle Times reports.
"I suspect Apple will launch a living room product that redefines people's expectations really strongly, and the notion of a separate console platform will disappear," Newell said.
Hitting out at the Cupertino giant, Valve's topdog said: "I consider Apple to be very closed... Let's say you have a book business and you are charging 5-7 per cent gross margins. You can't exist in an Apple world because they want 30 per cent and they don't care that you only have seven per cent to play with."
When asked if he was verging on hypocritical, with Steam "taxing" game companies that use it, Newell argued that wasn't the case. While Steam does take commission if a title is sold through the platform, developers can also use its free tools to sell games elsewhere, he said.
The Valve boss may like to see Apple crumble, but his foresight into a living-room takeover project could be close to the truth. Apple has filed patents for several technologies that could fit the bill, it's surely only a matter of time... ®
COMMENTS
Not mine.....
Of that you can be sure, just dont want it.
applergic you see.
But more importantly
Did Gabe say anything about Half-Life Episode 3?
Oxymoron
product does EXACTLY what I want --- tick
Price I'm willing to pay --- tick
Quelle surprise! It's not an Apple!
the issue is more about closed systems than minds
Apple never will produce a device that does what I (thats I as in me not i as in owned by apple) want.
And in the parallel reality where they might, it would certainly retail at way above the price I would be prepared to pay.
As pointed out elsewhere here, and indeed at cupertino - apple sells a way of doing things, not just tech. All I want is tech. and when I have it I want to decide how I use it. (somewhere an apple genius just dropped down dead)
so yes, i live, and will continue to live in a fruit free zone.
