1. Switch gamers own phones, so with the right marketing could also be phone gamers.
3. I doubt this has a big impact given empirically my friends who own Switches buy everything though the digital store.
4. Apple has the billions to buy ports of every AAA game on release (not years after like Resident Evil) for years, and IMO they should (and combine it with a big marketing push).
5. That’s true, you won’t beat those features with a phone right now (though they’re within reach for a determined platform owner)
> 4. Apple has the billions to buy ports of every AAA game on release (not years after like Resident Evil) for years, and IMO they should (and combine it with a big marketing push).
They certainly do. I'm sure they've run the numbers to see how much it would help their bottom line, and the answer might be "not enough." They might also be looking at how Microsoft isn't having an easy time with Xbox (in spite of the popular [34M+ subscribers] and acclaimed Game Pass service, excellent consoles with a terrific AAA game library, exclusive franchises like Halo/Gears/Forza, and owning Bethesda, Blizzard, etc.)
For now, for better or for worse, Apple is making a ton of money from f2p and "mobile" games and doesn't seem to have much incentive to change its course. Every so often they say something about Mac gaming, Apple TV gaming, etc. but not much has changed.
Apple TV could be more competitive as game console, but so far it has been a hard sell for gaming because of 1) lack of system-seller platform exclusives (Apple Arcade is good but can't really compete with Sony and Nintendo's exclusives and franchises), 2) no high-quality game controller in the box, 3) (as you note) not enough recent AAA games.
Apple is dumping billions into Apple TV+ for exclusive shows, trying to compete against Netflix, Amazon, Disney etc.; they might be wary of investing heavily and directly in gaming when iOS gaming is still basically printing money (though the EU might be forcing some changes in Apple's business model.)
It seems like it should be easier to justify spending billions since it’s already printing money (and this segment currently gives them zero money). They could put all of the AAA ports they paid for last year on Apple Arcade as a start (since they sold like 10 units anyway), then once people are hooked introduce an Apple Arcade premium tier that promises a continued stream of more similar-grade ports of games released that year.
Unfortunately you’re right, Apple has a weird history of messing up and half-assing their triple-A approach (remember the Valve partnership? Or the ten years of outdated OpenGL? Etc). I wonder if they hired an exec who helped with the Epic Games Store or MS’s Gamepass or something they would be able to help.
3. I doubt this has a big impact given empirically my friends who own Switches buy everything though the digital store.
4. Apple has the billions to buy ports of every AAA game on release (not years after like Resident Evil) for years, and IMO they should (and combine it with a big marketing push).
5. That’s true, you won’t beat those features with a phone right now (though they’re within reach for a determined platform owner)