On the heels of SuperData Research's findings that paying mobile gamers in the US are now spending more than ever , new data suggest that they're outpacing gaming handheld spending as well.A joint study by IDC and App Annie reports that the total spending on iOS games exceeded the amount spent on dedicated handheld games in the first quarter of 2013.The study's findings appear to paint a rather grim picture for gaming-optimised handhelds, depicting a dramatic drop between Q4 2012 and Q1 2013.However, the report's authors note that the "significant decreases in consumer spending and packaged game shipments" for handhelds is due - in part - to "seasonality", pointing to the traditional post-holiday spending slump.Indeed, 3DS software sales are actually up 52 percent year on year according to numbers published by NPD - although these numbers refer only to first-party Nintendo releases.

"Through the first four months of the year, Nintendo has already sold more than 2.1 million units of first-party Nintendo 3DS software in the US alone, an increase of 52 percent over the same time period last year," noted NPD in a statement.



"In 2012, it took 30 weeks for Nintendo 3DS to sell 2 million units of first-party software. In 2013, the platform accomplished that same feat in 18 weeks."

Though slow PS Vita game sales are likely to drag overall handheld game sales down, it appears there's life in the market yet, even if smartphone games are now the portable sector's dominant force.[source: App Annie