THE latest iteration of Apple’s smartphone is expected to provide a boost for Scottish app developers keen to take advantage of the new device’s larger screen and upgraded processing power.
Due for release in the UK on Friday, the iPhone 5 features a screen measuring four inches diagonally – half an inch larger than the current version.
Richard Wilson, chief executive of trade body Tiga, said: “The larger screen of the iPhone 5 provides a great opportunity for games developers to produce games that are more visually compelling but, on top of that, it means games with on-screen controls will have more room for the actual gameplay.”
However, he said apps and games created for previous iPhones could be lumbered with black bars at the edges of the screen, which is in a 16:9 “widescreen” format, so some firms may look to revamp their existing titles.
Gavin Dutch, managing director of Edinburgh-based software firm Kotikan, which has made apps for the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Skyscanner, said the new phone’s processing chip – claimed to be twice as fast as the current version – would benefit developers. He said: “We have some fairly complicated functionality in some of our apps that stretch the current device’s processing capabilities to its limits, so it will be nice to have that extra grunt.”