Submitted by Frank Macey on
Pretty soon iOS gamers will be able to play all their favorites full-sized on a real television screen. GamePop promises to bring this technology to couches everywhere, linking mobile gaming to bigger displays. The games be controlled with an iOS device (great for games that work by tilting the phone) or with GamePop's included video game controller.
The GamePop console uses new mobile-to-TV technology known as "Looking Glass" to play iOS games on different hardware. According to the company, the console is not an emulator. CNET quotes BlueStacks CEO Rosen Sharma, "Looking Glass works at the API-level... it embraces all aspects of running the [game] app and using the [GamePop] app as the controller." GamePop claims the games run just as fast if not faster than they run on top-tier smartphones.
GamePop will also market its console to Android users, and expects to launch the device this winter priced at $129 with controller. Currently the console can be pre-ordered free until June 30, as long you commit to a one-year monthly subscription. Access to games from GamePop requires a $6.99 per month subscription plan, bringing the latest and greatest iOS mobile games to the big screen.
More details are forthcoming, but for now you can visit GamePop for pre-order information. It's not clear how Apple will react to App Store games being played on a third-party device. If GamePop succeeds, it could alter both the console and mobile gaming markets in one swoop.