Apple Has Worked on a Physical Game Controller for iPhone

I'm sure if Apple makes it, that's exactly what it will look like too. So beautiful, simple and clean. [/sarcasm]

If Apple would design a game controller, I am sure it wouldn't look anything like the one in the picture.

I'd rather see one for the iPad. It makes more sense. I personally use a Wii controller on my MacBook Pro and it works well. Something like the Apple Remote with motion sensors, a little thicker, and different buttons would work.

I would think they would be more focused on the iPod Touch though and not the iPhone...

1 day late on April Fool's?

If Apple made a controller like that, it'd be a circular touchpad on the left and one, maybe two, buttons on the right.

Professor Brundle accidentally crossed an iPhone, an original Nintendo commercial, 1 quart of fingerprint grease and 3 gallons of ugly with his teleporter.

h1r0ll3r said:

If Apple made a controller like that, it'd be a circular touchpad on the left and one, maybe two, buttons on the right.

Click to expand...

LOL, thats not actually far from the truth.

Support PS3 controllers

I’d be more than happy if they’d just add support for Bluetooth PS3 controllers to iOS – doesn’t OS X already have this? I’m not sure that Apple needs to build their own controller hardware, although that could potentially be a neater solution for gaming when one is out and about, especially with the iPhone.

I don't understand why Apple hasn't done this yet, anyway. I realize Jobs thought any accessory needed for an iPhone of iPad meant the device was DOA, but I don't think he realized the amount of games and the market share it has stolen from DSI and PSP. If Apple created their own controller, all the DEVs would be able to just code their games to work with it, since it would be the defacto controller........and after that's established, 3rd party manufact. could come out with their Apple copy-cats. I love my iPad and iPhone, but they are in desperate need of a universal controller to really win over the hardcore gamers and games that require more precise movements or pressure to really operate.

I feel if Apple made a game controller it would be a wireless accessory.

Making a "detachable" iPhone controller is very un-Apple as it becomes completely useless when detached from the phone, and would take up a lot of space. Plus it would have to be compatible with iPod Touch as well, meaning it would either need adapters or be awkwardly shaped for one of the devices.

I think an Apple wireless controller would have dual analog sticks plus a few buttons. The sticks would be similar to those on the PS Vita so that the device would have a thin profile. Size-wise I think it would be similar to an iPhone in dimensions, but with a little more grip on both sides. Also it would include an accelerometer, to allow tilt based games to be controlled from afar.

It wouldn't be the most ergonomic controller, but it would be the most portable to allow the iPad to become an all-in-one portable gaming console.

I don't think Apple will do it though, as there are still many issues with it. Separate chargers (Unless it uses 30 pin connector or batteries), no way to launch apps with it when it is hooked up via HDMI (because home screen requires touch input. Unless they added a new control method specifically for it, which is possible...), Compatibility issues when it is first released, etc.

What an utterly ugly game controller - looks cheap and plastic like - glad Apple has better designers.

If Apple does make a games controller for iOS, I'm sure it won't look like that. I think it more likely a single controller that will be useable with all devices.

Perhaps instead of attaching the controller to the device, they attach to the fingers. So the joystick has an adjustable ring around your thumb, and a base that won't slide on the device. Buttons are the same, but only have to sense when you touch the device (so don't even need to worry about non-slip). And your fingers cannot slip off these controls like they can virtual controls.

Apple won't be making stand-alone game controller for iOS devices. At most, they may be doing an iPhone software app to control games on iPads / AppleTVs. But stand-alone hardware controller? Not happening.

Maybe it'll look something like this:

hitekalex said:

Apple won't be making stand-alone game controller for iOS devices. At most, they may be doing an iPhone software app to control games on iPads / AppleTVs. But stand-alone hardware controller? Not happening.

Click to expand...

Agreed.

I'm sure they experimented with it, but I doubt it'll see the light of day. I think we'll see multitouch controls in the bezel or an additional touch screen like on the Vita before we see them release something with buttons or joysticks. The touch screen has been working just find in their eyes for gaming with the success of things like Angry Birds and Infinity Blade.

Without physical controls though, for serious gamers, the iOS devices will always be simply a diversion. I prefer to play games on my old-school PSP over my iPod touch. Gaming on the touch has too small of a screen and half of that has to be taken up with on-screen controls or the controls have to be dumbed down to be able to be done with the gyro and swipes.

What aren't they working on?

Apple probably works on many, many projects that never see the light of day. Someone probably brought up the fact that the iPhone is a decent device for games and a controller-type addition could be a logical next step. A green light to work on it doesn't mean it'll ever get to customers. I don't understand the need to present this as anything more than rumor (with huge disclaimers).

That being said, I'm sure Apple would come up with something really cool and interesting and I would love to play with it.

I guess the iCade folks assume people will pay money to look like jackasses in public.

EDIT: Also, I would love to see someone answer the phone with that monstrosity on there lol.

In this context just a note that you can directly use Bluetooth 4.0 accessories on iOS hardware that supports it. Today there are things like heart rate monitors that already do this- no keyboard "hack" required.

A standard solution is most desirable for all, but at least with the advent of Bluetooth 4 in iOS devices the future could be less hack-ish...

Wirelessly posted

All Apple need to do is make the home button into a D-pad to improve things massively! This could have zero impact on aesthetics. The 'fire' button could be the entire screen as it the running/jumping, left/right that needs sorting. Do that, and along with Apple TV mirroring, you have the start of a real console smasher!

I got New Potato's Pinball Magic table for the iPhone. It uses a dock connector. It has a lot of promise, but the company unfortunately hasn't delivered on its promise to add more tables that work with it. So right now there's just one mediocre table available. That's the problem with lots of different accessories from different manufacturers. There needs to be a standard that they all can follow. Apple could establish that.

Please result in an end product. Something like the ION pictured, but with proper API support and prettier looking would be great.

This is one of a number of reasons why Apple buying Nintendo would make sense. Whether you like their consoles and games or not, there is no disputing that Nintendo know how to make controllers and have revolutionised them more than once. They would come up with the perfect controllers for all the iOS devices and the Mac.

Plus they're a snip at the moment, market cap is just $22bn.