iPhone Poker
Consumer electronics manufacturer Apple Inc. is an industry leader and innovator worldwide. Despite its vast array of products, one has separated itself from the pack—the iPhone. Named “Invention of the Year” by Time magazine in 2007, the iPhone lives up to its name as a smart phone. The device is equipped with a camera and functions as a full-functioning cell phone (with text messaging, visual voicemail, and Internet access) and as a portable music player.
The iPhone’s many functions make it ideal for visual software like a poker game. A number of poker enthusiasts have developed applications, or apps, for the iPhone so users can play their favorite game literally anywhere.
Playing Poker via a Browser on the iPhone
Although iPhones come equipped with Safari, playing poker on a web site as you would with an Internet browser on a regular PC or Mac is not so easy. This is because most online poker rooms offering in-browser play using Adobe Flash, meaning a browser must support Flash in order to be used for interactive games like poker and for some videos and other applications.
Apple has been vehemently opposed to including Flash Player on a number of its products, including the iPhone, making in-browser playing virtually impossible. According to Apple, Flash Player may be included in the future. One alternative to Flash is Java, but Safari is not easily compatible with Java, either.
iPhone Poker Applications
Apple Texas Holdem is widely regarded as one of the best poker applications for the iPhone, largely because it was created by the Apple company itself. This application gives the user the option of playing with up to seven friends on Wi-Fi. Players can alternate between a first-person view of the table and an above view of the table. Apple Texas Holdem is great for players of any skill level. It offers an easy-fold mechanism, and a simple tap of the screen speeds up game play.
Zynga Live Poker is a poker application that gives the user the opportunity to play online; the interface does not support actual monetary betting, however, leaving players to push around virtual chips. This application is linked to Facebook and MySpace, allowing players to connect and play with friends who have the app installed as well. The best part about the app is that it’s free. The program does offer different versions, however, but it costs to upgrade.
MegaPoker Online is a Texas Holdem game inspired by online poker rooms. It lets users switch between the no limit, fixed limit, and pot limit styles of play. MegaPoker Online is quite similar to Zynga but has fewer players. THTouch (Texas Holdem Touch) is a single-player app that brings an easy-to-use interface to play versus a computer.
Jacks or Better iPhone Poker is available for video poker players. The game allows bets of up to five credits at a time, and players can draw as many cards as they want to improve their hand.
Supplemental Poker Apps for the iPhone
Apple has made some applications available for the iPhone that are great additions for the avid poker player.
Poker Income is an app available for a small fee and acts as a poker stat tracker. It keeps reports and comparisons of play and serves as a timer. All information computed by this app can be transferred or backed up to another device. Tim’s Tourney Timer lets the player input blind amounts and acts as a timer. The timer continues to run even if other applications are in use.
No matter how many poker applications are currently available for the iPhone, that number will almost certainly continue to grow. Game play is likely to improve as Apple releases subsequent versions of the iPhone, as well. New Apple technology like the iPad also promises to add a new dimension to interactive, hand-held poker playing.