News Roundup: Apple Reportedly Working on AR Headset, More

Welcome to iFanzine’s Weekly News Roundup, where we take a quick look at 5 of the most interesting Apple and iOS gaming-related stories of the week. Today’s installment includes: Bloomberg’s report that Apple is hard at work on an AR headset, Niantic’s announcement of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, tantalizing new details about Mountains and Annapurna Interactive’s Florence, and more!

Apple Are Developing an Augmented Reality Headset

 

The boffins at Apple are apparently hard at work on an augmented reality headset. This news comes from a report by Bloomberg, which also states that the headset won’t require an iPhone to function, and will instead run on an all-new chip and operating system and have its own built-in display. If all goes to plan, Apple’s intriguing new offering will go on sale in 2020. Expect to hear a lot more about it between now and then.

[Gizmodo]


Harry Potter to Get the ‘Pokémon GO’ Treatment

Niantic, the studio behind mobile gaming phenomenon Pokémon GO, has revealed plans to release an augmented reality game based on the Harry Potter universe in 2018. The game is called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and it will see players teaming up to explore real-world locations, seek out fantastic beasts, and engage in epic spell-casting battles with enemies. You can read the official announcement for Wizards Unite at the link below.

[Niantic Labs]


More Details Revealed About ‘Florence’

Ken Wong recently gave Apple the scoop on Mountains’ upcoming new game, Florence, in a ‘sneak peek’ posted to the App Store. Ken has a lot of very interesting things to say about Florence in the feature, such as calling it an “unconventional and experimental” interactive graphic novel that’s “not quite a game but not exactly an app.” Hit the link in the tweet above to check the article out in its entirety.

[Twitter]


‘FlipFlop Solitaire’ Hits the App Store

FlipFlop Solitaire, the latest title from highly-regarded indie developer Zach Gage, hit the App Store a few days ago. And as is invariably the case with Zach’s games, it’s earned a rapturous reaction from critics, with Touch Arcade calling it “truly special” and App Advice saying, “once you start, it’s hard to stop playing.” If you haven’t checked out this refreshingly different spin on solitaire yet, here’s the download link.

[Twitter]


‘Monument Valley 2’ Finally Arrives on Android

Following a pretty lengthy period of exclusivity on the iOS App Store, Monument Valley 2 has finally made the jump to Google Play. MV2 probably needs no introduction, but it is, of course, the follow-up to 2014’s Monument ValleyAndroid fans should know that the general consensus on the game is that it’s every bit as well-made and polished as the original, even if the Escher-inspired puzzles are a tad easier to figure out this time around.

[Pocket Gamer]