Credits: Social Media
iPhones get new Game Mode with iOS 18 that ‘enhances’ the gaming experience
Following the public release of Apples iOS 18, people have been sharing their thoughts on the new Game Mode function.
Apples detractors, tongues in cheeks or otherwise, will be satisfied to read its been almost three years since Android launched its version: the Game Mode API and Game Mode interventions became available for Android users starting with Android 12 in October 2021. Sure enough though, the iPhone has some neat tricks, such as this laundry hack you can do with your iPhone camera. But not everyone is balled over by Apples version of Game Mode.
Apple’s new Game Mode is designed to enhance the gaming experience
Per Apples description, Game Mode enhances the gaming experience with more consistent frame rates, especially during long play sessions, and makes AirPods, game controllers, and other wireless accessories even more responsive.
Its new on the iPhone and iPad but arrived on Mac in 2023.
Along with prioritizing game performance, writes 9to5Mac, Game Mode doubles the polling rate on Bluetooth connectivity, thereby delivering more responsive Bluetooth controller connections.
It also reduces audio latency with AirPods Pro 2, and grants access to Personalized Spatial Audio in games with AirPods 3, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.
One X user describes it as more effective than I initially thought, citing a Chinese technology reviewers charts comparing the relative power consumption when running Honkai: Star Rail and Genshin Impact with or without background apps running.
Feel free to nerd out while reading the embedded X post below.
Whether there are background apps running or not, writes the user, game mode effectively contributes to average frame rates and frame stability.
Others say Apples Game Mode rollout is really embarrassing for the company
When a beta version of iOS18 was released to developers during the summer, a select few got an early taste of Game Mode.
One, confused by his apparent inability to toggle the mode, reached out to the good folk of Reddit for guidance. The answers they received werent particularly useful, but not for lack of good intentions.
A lot of people missing the point that hes asking how to toggle it on, responded one user, who claimed to be a fellow recipient of the iOS 18 Dev Beta 4. Many games are not categorized as a game despite being games.
He wishes to know how to manually toggle Game Mode in any app. Unfortunately, there isnt any way, which is a shame as millions of games are not in the games category.
The responders conclusion is that its very inconsistent at the moment, meaning at the time of the beta rollout before the general release. Ive reported the issue and Im sure plenty of other devs have and hopefully its fixed before the public release next month. It seems like allowing it to [be] manually toggled would be best.
Update, from September 16, the day of iOS 18’s public release: It was not fixed, replied another user. A fourth chimed in with damning words: Thats really embarrassing for Apple.
In other words, there doesnt appear to be a way toggle Game Mode on and off at will. It turns on automatically when Apple thinks it’s best for you, commented another disgruntled Reddit user. No freedom to toggle whenever.
Its worth noting, however, that you can disable Game Mode manually, even if you cant enable it whenever you want to. To switch off Game Mode, tap the pop-up alert when you see it. This will give you the option of keeping Game Mode disabled, and keep background activity running normally.
The video embedded above illustrates how to do this.
Apple’s Newsroom article promoting iOS 18’s general release doesn’t contain specific details or instructions for how to switch off Game Mode. The feature’s description in the App Store has this: “Game Mode turns on automatically when you launch a game.”
