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Typically, iPhone features make their way to other Apple platforms. But Apple reversed course during its WWDC 2024 keynote, announcing that a feature previously found on macOS Sonoma will be coming to iPhone. Apple’s Game Mode will arrive in the iOS 18 update this fall.
Apple only mentioned Game Mode briefly, and it felt like it was overshadowed by other iOS 18 features announced at WWDC and the Apple Intelligence rollout. That’s a shame, because Game Mode will be a welcome addition to the iPhone, whether you try it out in the fall or sooner, when the iOS 18 public beta is due to be released by July.
Simply put, Apple’s Game Mode is designed to give you the best experience when running games on your phone. But how well does it work?
A look at the Mac’s Game Mode gives a hint: the Mac version of the feature gives the game you’re playing priority access to the CPU and GPU, and cuts down on background activity. The approach should be the same for the iPhone and its system-on-chip.
Additionally, Game Mode doubles the Bluetooth sampling rate to reduce input and audio latency for wireless accessories like game controllers and Apple AirPods. Again, we expect this feature to work on iPhones as well as Macs.
With Game Mode enabled, your games will run smoother, your controller will be more responsive, and your headphones will sound better. So what’s the downside? Background activity will take longer or stop completely, so don’t expect any big downloads happening while you play. Thankfully, since Game Mode has to be on, you can choose when to enable it.
The arrival of Game Mode on iPhone will especially benefit those who have recently decided to try out the Apple Arcade subscription game streaming service, and Game Mode also makes it easier than ever for older devices to stream Xbox games in the Game Pass app with console-quality.
Overall, WWDC 2024 was surprisingly heavy on gaming, with Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Assassin’s Creed Shadows both reportedly being playable on Mac and iPad. There wasn’t as much gaming focus on iPhone, but Game Mode will surely see Apple’s phones, including the upcoming iPhone 16, ranking highly on our Best Gaming Phones list.
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