Breakfast Topic: What iPhone app should Blizzard release next?
by Lesley Smith 
Jul 19th 2009 at 8:00AM
WoW-loving iPhone owners (and yes, I count myself among you) are feeling the love from Blizzard with the release of the Armory app this week. It's shiny, useful and just as practical, if not more, as the Authenticator app. We knew this was coming, of course, from the moment Blizzard issued C and D's relating to specific apps. However now their second app is out it's sure not to be the last. Blizzard has once again favored the iPhone over all the other phones. It seems like there's a trend developing here, much to the sorrow of Palm Pre and Android owners, I'm sure.
Blizzard seem to be developing apps with the same due care and diligence they give their games (including awesome sound effects as well) and it warms my heart to see they're exercising their talents to make the game more accessible without needing to login with the main client or be directly in-front of your PC.
So, readers, now that Blizzard is obviously putting their heart and soul into creating apps, what would you like to see them develop next? Do you think a certain kind of app - like one which allows you to use the auction hose, send and receive mail or use guild chat - is in need? I'd love a Warcraft: Peggle version with even more levels just for the iPhone please. Pop your thoughts in the comments box below.
Filed under: Blizzard, Add-Ons, Breakfast Topics, Account Security
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
moonwaves182 Jul 19th 2009 9:03AM
Mobile WoW!
1st!
Agoria Jul 19th 2009 8:08AM
Mobile AH and mailbox
sagist Jul 19th 2009 11:12AM
Yeah, I also had the same idea. Then I figure out 2 problems:
- for mailbox: will we take down item sent if the expire time is close to past? if we do, what will happen when our bags are full? then we need more other stuffs such as bank and vendor.
- for AH, there will be another fresh and super effective "profession": the autioneer, who would just search and scroll out the AH nearly the whole time as traders, to make money with them. Hence, will it dominate or make the money system mess up?
VerticalEvent Jul 19th 2009 11:35AM
The problems are simple to solve:
Mail Box - You can only check your mail box. This makes sense, otherwise, you'd be able to be in the middle of the Blasted Lands and "check" your mail on the iPhone and get items from it. ipHone app should only check your mailbox to see if you won that auction or if a friend has paid back that gold you loaned him.
Auction House - this is no different to the current system, with people sitting in front of the auction house, waiting for a cheap item to show up. And, considering if your on the iPhone using the 3G network, it'll be more expensive to do this with your data plan then to actually log in with a character and do the same thing.
Ringo Flinthammer Jul 19th 2009 2:49PM
The iPhone data plan is unlimited (in the United States). If you already use an iPhone, there would be no additional fees for being a full time auction house day trader.
Mailia Jul 19th 2009 5:53PM
I doubt it, because if Blizzard only keeps developing for the iPhone, the iPhone owners will have an advantage with the AH business, and I doubt that they will want to make that sort of QQs.
Licho Jul 20th 2009 2:57AM
I'd love to see the existing apps working in, say, SymbianOS?
Aaron Jul 20th 2009 6:34AM
Frankly, I think that every aspect of the game that doesn't involve entering combat or moving your character outside of a major city should be doable via the Web or phone App. I don't think such tools should be available while logged in through a normal account, but as long as you're logged out in a valid "Inn", why not?
Some examples:
* AH/mailbox/bank/guild bank - full access to all four with the ability to move items on-to-the-other.
* Chat - I've long felt that Blizzard should do what EQ did, but more so by linking all characters to the Jabber network, allowing into- and out of game communication through Google Talk (using a beefed up in-game friends list to restrict communications and avoid spam).
* Trade skills: if you have the mats, why not allow doing combines via the Web or app?
* Fishing? Could be amusing. I'd have maxed-out fishing pretty fast if I could do it in long meetings ;)
IIoWoII Jul 19th 2009 11:14AM
Second AH...
Kcirreda Jul 19th 2009 8:21AM
Failoc-alypse 2? Was going to say talent calculator but that sounds really lame.
Aceman67 Jul 19th 2009 8:25AM
There's a Talent Calc in the new Armory App, but it can be sluggish at times.
Mailia Jul 19th 2009 8:16AM
So.. When's the WoWInsider app coming out?
Neirin Jul 19th 2009 2:13PM
i.wow.com is already optimized for iPhone enjoy =)
Piers Jul 19th 2009 8:19AM
Screw iPhone apps. I want to know when the Authenticator for Android is coming out.
Mailia Jul 19th 2009 8:24AM
When Google starts giving money to Blizzard.
Ringo Flinthammer Jul 19th 2009 2:51PM
It has nothing to do with Apple giving money to Blizzard. (Neither company needs the cash.) The iPhone has millions of users. Android has 20 or 30, and a fanbase that has an expectation that soon, everyone will be an Android user. It makes no sense for them to spend any development time on Android until it gets much, much more popular.
Grendalsh Jul 19th 2009 3:34PM
^This.
While there are MEEELYUNS of iPwn owners, i don't see dozens of new phones, netbooks, MIDs and various other devices being announced/launched with it's OS over the next year. I see exactly TWO devices with OSX mobile on them.. the iPhone and the iTouch(myself). So the userbase will likely significantly increase within the year.
What I find funny is that Blizzard has gotten major kudos for always releasing their games with both PC and Mac clients.. Given that kind of support for multiple clients, it's funny the apple fans promptly slam blizzard supporting any other OS for their mobile client..
Aryc Ogre Jul 20th 2009 12:01AM
Hey Ringo, you may want to do a little fact checking... Android users are in the millions as well.
Gary Jul 19th 2009 8:29AM
I would love to see an auction house or a guild chat function or a way to do a few mobile dailies so I could make some gold at work ;-)
Hawk Jul 19th 2009 8:45AM
Oh I would also love a wow.com app that would allow easy comments and accessability