Just a week or so after the first Apple iPad-compatible app was released by Sky Poker (and reviewed by us), a new and updated version of the app has duly been released for the iPhone.
Once again Sky Poker have delivered on their promise that there would only be a short delay between the release of the iPad-only version of the app and the iPhone compatible version. Sky have just announced that the new app is now fully optimised for iPhone.
So, having had a look at the app on iPhone and iPad, are there any differences?
But first, if you haven’t yet signed up a Sky Poker account, that will be your first step. Do so today, and as a new signup you’ll reap the rewards of a Sky Poker no deposit bonus code, which will kick start your play with £10 free.
Sky Poker App on iPad v Sky Poker App on iPhone
The first thing to note here is that the app is in almost every detail exactly the same on the iPad as it is the iPhone. The same options, log in process, games available, promotions, Sky Poker TV and whatnot are available using the app on either device.
That does mean that at present you can’t play sit & go games or MTTs on either iPad or iPhone, however there is an upgrade planned for the near future which will add these features (plus many more).
To recap, here’s what is available on the new iPhone/iPad Sky Poker App at present:
- Hold’em, Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo Cash Table Games of various blind levels.
- Play Now Feature allowing you to play at a suitable cash table more quickly.
- All the features you will find on Sky Poker’s desktop cash tables are available via mobile.
- All details of your account history, deposits and withdrawals.
- Access to all Sky Poker promotions.
- Access to Sky Poker TV.
- Access to the Sky Poker forums.
So, does this mean that playing Sky Poker from an iPhone compared to an iPad is essentially the same?
Well, in truth the answer to this is yes, and no, especially if you are considering what is the best option in terms of mobility and practicality.
The first thing to note is that playing via the Sky Poker app on an iPhone compared to an iPad is more fiddly. The reason for this is not any problem with the software (which runs as quickly and as smoothly on an iPhone as it does an iPad) but simply because of the screen size.
On an iPhone, the size of the icons and options are necessarily smaller to enable the screen to display all the key information you need.
This does mean that accessing some of the menus and buttons can be quite difficult at times – it is easy to click the wrong button on the smaller screen, especially as you are getting used to playing on the app. Of course, you can easily use the zoom function to zoom in on buttons but doing this repeatedly does slow down the use of the app and impinges on its appeal.
On the iPad version however, this is not so much of a problem as the added screen size makes it much easier for players to find the right buttons and make the right selections without making errors.
Indeed, I believe that the reason the iPhone version of the software was a tad delayed was probably to give Sky Poker extra time to improve the display so that some of these problems are alleviated. They have done a great job, but they are always going to be limited by the smaller screen of the iPhone.
Yet, while its relatively small dimensions can prove to be a slight (and it is only very slight) issue when playing poker on the device, the iPhone and its Sky Poker App does score well over the iPad in another way and that is in terms of mobility.
While the iPad may have a larger screen facilitating easier play, the iPad is also much bigger as a result and this means it is not quite so easy to port around with you. Especially if, say for example, you are looking for a mobile device that is easy to keep inside a blazer or trouser pocket or inside a small bag.
There is also the very real issue that the iPad basic version comes with only a WiFi option. You can pay extra for a 3G or 4G enabled version, but this is often around £100 more expensive and also requires the user to take out another mobile contract (ideally one that will allow them unlimited or a considerable amount of data without penalty) and this, of course, puts the price of purchasing this type of hardware considerably higher.
Of course you can work around this by using your iPad only in WiFi enabled areas, such as at work or in shops and restaurants where free WiFi is included, but that does impact on how mobile the device is and does mean it isn’t truly mobile – you can only use it where you have WiFi access.
Conclusion
Our finding is that the new Sky Poker app for iPhone is every bit as good as the app for the iPad as it is essentially, almost identical software with only a few minor tweaks to it to allow it to format to the smaller screen of the iPhone more optimally.
If you have an iPhone and an iPad, then it is certainly well worth downloading the app onto both devices. Although in its current form, it is lacking some of the Sky Poker games, you can play cash games direct from the app (and at present, play the other types of Sky Poker game by accessing the site via a browser).
However when the upgrade comes out which allows the user to play sit & go and MTTs as well as introducing multi tabling, access to more table data for cash tables, and other improvements, this will certainly be one of the top apps in the UK, if not the best UK mobile poker app available.
For the time being it is great to use if you are more mobile on your iPhone, or if you to prefer to play via Wifi, on your iPad.
