Mobile app developers need to start focusing on the vast cavalcade of opportunities Apple devices present in order to stay ahead of an industry that is constantly innovating, according to a prominent gambling industry veteran. Paddy Power product manager Jamie Reeve was talking at this week’s Mobile and Tablet Gambling Summit to promote the release of their Roller Casino iPad game earlier this year and talked of the opportunities Apple devices present.
Their new app uses a number of the Apple native features to make it more attractive to the customers. This includes letting the player spin the roulette wheel themselves whilst also rolling the ball onto the wheel and it’s something that certainly makes sense business-wise.
“People that spin the wheel themselves bet more and tend to like the interactivity of it. They’re convinced that spinning a ball in a certain way will help them to win,” Reeve said.
The other controls that Reeve thinks could be put to good use by developers include Voice Control, Airplay, the Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Multi-Touch, Geolocation, and Face Detection.
One of the complaints that developers have had in the past is that Apple’s submission process is a long one and it still takes a lot longer than the almost instant one available on Google Play. The length of time is now slightly shorter though and it has coincided with gambling firms becoming a lot less worried about the process.
“There is now no worry from developers over Apple’s stance on gambling and we are seeing a quicker turnaround for apps. Remember you still need to cover all bases as one missed tick box can kick you off,” Reeve said.
Paddy Power discovered this to their detriment when applying to have Roller Casino approved for the App Store as missing one tick box pushed them back a month with the process taking two months instead of one. Reeve, whose comments throughout his session will have been of great use to developers, also stated that making the most of the app’s comments section when delivering updates is a key tool.
Firms using more of Apple’s unique features mean that native apps still have huge advantages for those looking to tap into the mobile gambling industry. Others will of course still opt for an HTML5 approach but in doing so will miss out on the Apple features. Neither side is doing anything wrong by opting for the other one and at the end of the day it’s just a case of preference as to which you decide to invest in.
