The Nintendo DS was one of the big dogs in the portable gaming industry when it hit store shelves but word is now that games available through iOS and Android operating system devices are starting to overtake the DS. Flurry Analytics has released a new report in which they say that the Nintendo DS did at one time have a 70 percent share of the portable gaming market but slipped to around 50 percent in 2010.
They said that the biggest improvement was with the Apple iOS that seen only 19 percent in 2009 and jumped to 35 percent in 2010.
Flurry says that the Nintendo DS and 3DS are still having strong sales but these days are seeing more and more people flocking towards their smartphones for the latest in portable gaming. The biggest factor without a doubt is the price of the games.
The Nintendo DS and 3DS games sell for close to $40 where a game that can be purchased through your iPhone will only cost about $1 or $2 in some cases.
Nintendo has even said that they expect Apple to start getting a bigger market share and the possibility that Apple could take over the majority. They say that it is things such as their App Store which make the selecting of games faster and most importantly less expensive.
The president of the North American arm of Nintendo, Reggie Fils-Arne, put it best when asked about the Apple iOS. 'Do I think that Apple could hurt us more than Microsoft and the XBOX 360 in the future. Absolutely!'.
