Robert Castley of Keynote Systems looks at the technological innovations which are shaping the way we view, bet and play games
DO you remember where you were when the major news broke about Michael Jackson’s death? Or when Will and Kate’s pregnancy was announced? What screen did you turn to in order to find out more details?
Chances are it wasn’t your TV, more likely it was your smartphone, tablet or perhaps your desktop computer. At any point in the day or night, the majority of people are now within reach of one of those three screens. Smartphones radically changed the way we access the web and now tablets, with tens of millions sold already, are adding another twist to what, how and where we go online. In fact, analyst firm IDC has predicted that tablets will outsell PCs this year for the first time. Overall in 2012, worldwide shipment of all internet connected devices grew 29.1 per cent, with over one billion units sold in 2012.
This change has altered almost every element of our lifestyles – how we interact with friends and colleagues, how we shop and how we access breaking news. Inevitably, it’s also playing a major part in online gaming, as gaming companies have to again adjust their strategies and allocate resources to reach their audiences on yet another category of device.
Tablets have become the next great change in internet access technology, helping to accelerate the transition from desktop to mobile as the primary web access point. Online gaming is all about convenience, accessibility and usability, and gamers expect instant access to these services, regardless of the device they’re using.
Read the full article in issue 3 of iNTERGAMINGi.
