????對于充斥著海量免費游戲的移動游戲領域來說，成功的關鍵在于創造收入。雖然10-65歲的美國人口中使用三星手機的數量超過使用iPhone手機的數量：26% vs. 25%，但是在移動游戲方面，蘋果比三星更為成功。沃曼表示，如果只看1.29億游戲玩家和5800萬美國移動游戲玩家這兩個數字，iPhone用戶比例分別為35%和45%。沃曼說：“雖然手機用戶的絕對數量較少，但是蘋果游戲玩家用戶數量是三星的兩倍。”

????說到蘋果在游戲領域的地位，有必要看看iPhone、iPad和iPod Touch。蘋果在iPod Touch方面沒有對手，許多父母為了讓孩子玩游戲和應用軟件，專門為孩子購買iPod Touch，不用承擔高額的智能手機費用。蘋果在這方面的統治地位來源于它對蘋果應用商店的成功控制。沃曼認為，三星避免發布有競爭力的產品，因為沒有與蘋果應用商店抗衡的產品，新產品也只是低利潤的硬件。

????“由于蘋果產品的屏幕尺寸相對固定且變化有限，開發商發布在iOS系統上運行的一兩個版本的游戲就能獲得較大的市場份額，”沃曼說。“為了從Google Play發布游戲獲得收益，開發商必須開發更多的游戲版本，從而適應不同的設備和屏幕尺寸。這對于集中精力開發新游戲和優化游戲設置與商業模式的開發商而言，不是最理想的狀態。”

????這正是迅速增長的移動游戲公司Supercell不急于讓iOS系統運行的游戲《部落戰爭》（Clash of Clans）和《卡通農場》（Hay Day）進駐安卓設備的原因。這兩款游戲每天從850萬iOS游戲玩家獲得的收入超過2,400萬美元。就連Rovio和及其常見游戲《憤怒的小鳥》（Angry Birds）也登錄了iOS系統，借助蘋果應用商店沖到游戲排名的首位。

????沃曼表示，開發商蜂涌選擇和堅持與蘋果合作的原因在于，蘋果對付費游戲玩家擁有超級覆蓋率。例如，富裕的家庭通常購買蘋果設備。消費者堅持購買蘋果產品的原因在于iOS系統可使用的獨家游戲的數量。這種生態系統為蘋果形成了積極的反饋回路。

????蘋果與中國移動公司（China Mobile）的潛在交易有望給蘋果增加7億中國用戶，蘋果在亞洲市場正在追趕三星。說到移動手機市場，沃曼認為，由于亞馬遜（Amazon）能夠提供無縫支付體驗和蘋果所擁有的貨幣水平，這使亞馬遜成為蘋果唯一的競爭對手。即使亞馬遜提供免費智能手機的傳言成為現實，蘋果仍然是優勝者。

????沃曼說：“免費的亞馬遜手機給三星造成的影響更大，因為它們依靠硬件獲得利潤。” “如果蘋果手機比亞馬遜的免費手機更酷更炫，人們還是會購買蘋果產品，”沃曼指出，從價格因素嚴格考慮，選擇智能手機對消費者而言是一個非常私人的決定。“蘋果每年從蘋果應用商店獲得數十億美元的傭金收入。此外，蘋果也是內容開發商的移動平臺首選，這個市場的不斷細分也會增加蘋果的收益。”

????雖然產品更新將對蘋果起到重要作用，但是蘋果顯然穩占移動游戲市場的統治地位。新硬件創新對史蒂夫?喬布斯打造的公司只是錦上添花。（財富中文網）

????譯者：喬樹靜/汪皓

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????The key to success in the mobile game, which is extremely crowded and overrun with free-to-play games, is generating revenue. Apple has had more success than Samsung in this arena, despite the fact that a slightly higher share of Americans between ages 10 and 65 use a Samsung phone than an iPhone: 26% vs. 25%. Warman said those iPhone users grow to 35% when looking at the market share among 129 million mobile gamers and 45% if only focusing on the 58 million American paying mobile gamers. "Ultimately, Apple reaches twice the number of paying mobile gamers than Samsung, despite having a lower absolute number of device users," said Warman.

????When looking at Apple's power position in the games space, it's important to look iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Apple has no competition with the iPod Touch, which many parents buy for their children specifically to play games and apps without dealing with the high costs of a smartphone. Apple's dominance in this arena stems from the fact that it maintains control of a successful App Store. Warman believes Samsung has refrained from launching a competitive product because without an established App Store equivalent, it only represents a low-margin piece of hardware to it.

????"Because of Apple's relatively closed nature and limited variety in screen dimensions, developers can publish one or two versions of their game on iOS and reach a large share of the market," said Warman. "To benefit from publishing on Google Play, developers must create many more versions of their games to cater for varying devices and screen sizes. This isn't ideal for developers who'd rather focus their effort on localizing their game into new territories and optimizing gameplay and business models."

????That's why a fast-growing mobile game company like Supercell has been in no rush to port its hit iOS games Clash of Clans and Hay Day to Android devices. Those two games are generating over $2.4 million in revenue a day from its 8.5 million iOS gamers. Even Rovio and its now-ubiquitous Angry Birds franchise launched on iOS and catapulted to the top of the games space with the help of the App Store.

????Warman said developers flock to, and stick with, Apple because of its superior reach of paying gamers. Apple devices tend to be owned by more affluent households, for example. Consumers stick with Apple because of the number of exclusive games available on iOS. This ecosystem creates a positive feedback loop for Apple.

????With Apple adding 700 million Chinese subscribers with a possible China Mobile deal, the company is also trying to keep up with Samsung in Asia. When looking at the mobile gaming market, Warman believes Amazon (AMZN) is the only competitor that can even come close to Apple because it can offer a seamless payment experience and the level of monetization that Apple has. But even if rumors of Amazon offering a free smartphone come true, Apple could still be in the winner's circle.

????"A free Amazon phone will hurt Samsung more because they rely on hardware margins for profit," said Warman. "If Apple devices are cooler than the free one at Amazon, people will buy an Apple." Warman noted that choosing a smartphone is too personal a decision for consumers to make strictly on price considerations. "Apple will benefit from the increased fragmentation in the marketplace, remaining the mobile platform of choice for content developers, while earning billions of dollars in App Store commission income each year."

????While a refresh will play an important role for Apple, the company is certainly in the driver's seat in the mobile game. And innovation in new hardware will only help the company that Steve Jobs built.