Apple is launching iPhone OS version 3.0 next week, bringing with it a slew of new features, including cut and paste, undo, MMS support and more. But what about the gaming features?
We already knew that Apple would allow for in-application purchases, ushering in the era of microtransactions via add-on game packs and other downloadable types of content. iPhone OS 3.0 also adds new options for developers to tap into other new features, including new "push" notification technology, Google Maps availability in any application, peer-to-peer support for paid apps and much, much more.
Two iPhone game developers, Gameloft and ngmoco, showed off playable apps that take advantage of these new features.
Gameloft's Asphalt 5 takes advantage of peer-to-peer functionality by adding multiplayer over Bluetooth. It also lets players tap into their own music collections by accessing custom soundtracks directly from your iPod library.
ngmoco's Star Defense, just released today, will be one of the first games to take advantage of in-app purchases. iPhone owners can download new galaxies adding "hundreds of hours of gameplay." Publisher ngmoco plans for free and paid-for downloadable content packs.
For additional updates to the new iPhone OS 3.0, check out Gizmodo's live blog coverage of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference.