It sounds like there's going to be a new iPhone in town. Rumors suggest that Apple plans to launch the iPhone 5S this August. (A perfectly reasonable theory, considering Apple's track record.) A new iPhone is always cause for excitement in the tech community, but the presence of new hardware isn't always as exciting for those of us who look for innovation in the realm of iOS gaming.
While information on the specifics of what puts the "S" in iPhone 5S remain scarce, rumors suggest the features include an enhanced processor, a better camera, and a fingerprint sensor. As a technophile, many of those features may seem incredibly interesting. For gamers, the differences will probably be more subtle.
A new processor, of course, does something. Existing games will run more smoothly and new games will be able to push the system a little harder. It doesn't necessarily mean better visuals, but it does mean games with better visuals will be less likely to crash, lag, or cause the phone to catch fire.
For adventurous developers, the fingerprint sensor could lead to some interesting, if not incredibly specific, features. What if a location-based game incorporated finger-scanning to take action or check-in? What if a multiplayer puzzle game added multipliers when more than one player scanned in? With the sheer volume of iOS game development, any susbstansial new feature could lead to unpredictable gameplay innovation or terribleness.
On a wider scale, using the fingerprint scanner to identify players could allow iOS games to create multiple states, loading them for players when they scan in. Don't you hate it when your friend grabs your phone and ruins your that high score you've been saving? Now there's no way they'll ruin your game.
Meanwhile, there are already rumors about the next-next "iPhone 6," which could lead bigger and better things. Word is the iPhone 6 will have a "super HD" screen, which would obviously allow for higher-resolution graphics and generally prettier games. Of course, as a purely technical improvement it's also reasonable that the new screen is actually slated for the 5S.
Will the iPhone 5S will make a difference for gamers? Let us know in the comments.