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Comment by snprbob86 | Hacker News Reader

Maybe I'm biased (I work at Microsoft on gaming), but I'm shocked that this thread is all about multitasking and not about the social gaming network!

Apple has sold 50M iPhones. Microsoft has sold roughly 30M Xbox 360s. This summer, before the launch of Windows Phone 7, Apple will have the world's largest gaming network.....overnight.

How is that not a bigger deal than multi-tasking?

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What percentage of people play social games on the iPhone? I know anecdotes aren't data, but I've had an iPhone since day 1 and have never bought or played a game on it.

Considering that games are the most popular form of application in the app store (currently 9/10 top grossing and 6/10 top free apps are games), I think the percentage is quite high. With an XBox Live-like framework for achievements and friend leaderboards even single-player games can be social.

My iPhone has completely supplanted my Nintendo DS for subway entertainment. Based on what I've seen on the subway, it's by far the most popular portable gaming platform, at least in NYC.

Add London to that list as well.

Because multitasking to me means background apps, it means IRC, location based alerts, Skype with incoming calls.

"Social gaming network" doesn't mean anything to me. What am I supposed to do with it? How will it change ... anything ... for me?

Maybe it doesn't matter to you, but many people buy/play games for gamerscore. It's crazy, I know, but people actually legitimately care about a little number next to their name, a 64x64 icon of an achievement, or the top 10 spots on that leaderboard. It sells more games, it keeps engagement higher, and it is all around a powerful platform piece for Xbox, as it will be for iPhone, as it will be for Windows Phone.

Too many announcements. =)

I agree - the gaming network will be a big deal, especially since it will provide an alternative channel for developers to market their games. It gives the iPhone the social marketing aspect of Facebook games.

I am also excited about this. I hope one of those APIs is to bluetooth enabled human interface devices or something so I can stick a joystick on my iPad.

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