Apple wanted a pure touch environment for the iphone and iPad. They did not want to support any third party input device that violated that rule. I understand for the first few years, but eventually other add ons needed to develop to expand the reach of the device, rather than limit it.
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Poor Build Quality and High Price of iOS 7 Game Controllers Due to Strict Apple Guidelines
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Apple wanted a pure touch environment for the iphone and iPad. They did not want to support any third party input device that violated that rule. I understand for the first few years, but eventually other add ons needed to develop to expand the reach of the device, rather than limit it.
Apple should make everything their own and eliminating every other 3rd party supplier. So Apple can make huge profit from the accessories and user can enjoy so called high quality products. Is that your logic? If yes, then, I have absolutely nothing to say. I really wish this will never come true
What competition is both cheap and good?
All MFi iPhone controllers currently have pretty bad reviews mainly because of their poor build quality compared to what we're used to with console controllers.
So if one manufacturer decided to make a controller that's $129 instead of $99 but has good quality plastic that feels good in hand and doesn't scratch easily, with precise and smooth molding, then some people might pay the premium just to have a quality product.
Would the price hike turn off some customers? Certainly. Just like MacBooks sell less than $499 laptops even though they have a better build quality.
The bottom line is that those manufacturers chose to make bad products just to hit a specific price point. It's their job to find the right balance between product quality and price, not Apple's. Just like it's Apple's job to find the right balance with their laptops, not Intel's.
I'm sorry, but no switch for a game controller is anywhere near that expensive. They are making cheap crap and analysts are blaming it on Apple requiring quality (supposedly) parts. It's backwards reasoning, I can't believe people.
iSuppli puts the cost of a PS3 controller at ~$13, PS4 at ~$18. A button can't be over a buck in that realm. Even assuming Apple's designated buttons are the most expensive ever, it couldn't possibly raise the selling price from $40-99 up to $200.
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Hey, what else did I think today?
Maybe just read the words I type, and don't add your own to MY comments in YOUR brain.
When in doubt, blame Evil Apple.
But Apple insisting on consistent controls is not a one-sided bad thing--it's an (unintended) TWO-sided thing.
And in the end of course, a good thing. A thing that prevents other problems, while the bad side fades from memory.
The problem of this particular component being expensive is not an issue that has to last forever.
Just watch: somehow, mysteriously, GOOD MFi controllers will be made one day soon. And, somehow, prices will drop. Do the "poor controller makers" have to be allowed to use cheap, inconsistent switches for that to happen? I don't think so. I think time and economies of scale can make it happen. (And other suppliers stepping up to make the parts Apple has chosen would help.)
Furthermore, we have to ask: should Apple dictate ANY standards for controllers? I think we can all agree, after years of slightly-weird different controllers, yes, they should. Are they expected to get every detail of those standards perfect in the very first attempt? Well, that would be nice, but more realistically, the second wave of controllers was always going to be better. Meanwhile, Apple's MFi standards are mostly really great--far better than I'd have even wished for, right down to analog buttons (and yes, the feel/behavior of those buttons should matter, or else some games will be hard to play on certain controllers).
But Apple insisting on consistent controls is not a one-sided bad thing--it's an (unintended) TWO-sided thing.
And in the end of course, a good thing. A thing that prevents other problems, while the bad side fades from memory.
The problem of this particular component being expensive is not an issue that has to last forever.
Just watch: somehow, mysteriously, GOOD MFi controllers will be made one day soon. And, somehow, prices will drop. Do the "poor controller makers" have to be allowed to use cheap, inconsistent switches for that to happen? I don't think so. I think time and economies of scale can make it happen. (And other suppliers stepping up to make the parts Apple has chosen would help.)
Furthermore, we have to ask: should Apple dictate ANY standards for controllers? I think we can all agree, after years of slightly-weird different controllers, yes, they should. Are they expected to get every detail of those standards perfect in the very first attempt? Well, that would be nice, but more realistically, the second wave of controllers was always going to be better. Meanwhile, Apple's MFi standards are mostly really great--far better than I'd have even wished for, right down to analog buttons (and yes, the feel/behavior of those buttons should matter, or else some games will be hard to play on certain controllers).
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To further expand on a D-pad:
If you push directly in the center of the D-pad, no direction should be detected by the game as being pushed. You must push in the direction you want to move. This prevents accidentally hitting the wrong direction by simply resting your thumb on the D-pad. This is how it works on PlayStation and Nintendo controllers.
If you are pushing the edge of one direction on the D-pad, no other direction should be pushed. You should never accidentally move upward or downward by just pushing "left" on the D-pad. This is how it works on PlayStation and Nintendo controllers.
The terrible Xbox 360 D-pad, Ouya D-pad, and all these new "MFi" iOS 7 controllers are an embarrassment. It's like the designer of a controller has no idea how to design a controller. It's not just a pad with some buttons. You have to put thought into how it works.
If you push directly in the center of the D-pad, no direction should be detected by the game as being pushed. You must push in the direction you want to move. This prevents accidentally hitting the wrong direction by simply resting your thumb on the D-pad. This is how it works on PlayStation and Nintendo controllers.
If you are pushing the edge of one direction on the D-pad, no other direction should be pushed. You should never accidentally move upward or downward by just pushing "left" on the D-pad. This is how it works on PlayStation and Nintendo controllers.
The terrible Xbox 360 D-pad, Ouya D-pad, and all these new "MFi" iOS 7 controllers are an embarrassment. It's like the designer of a controller has no idea how to design a controller. It's not just a pad with some buttons. You have to put thought into how it works.
BAM!
BOOM!
Look at the price. $60. That should be the price range MFi controllers are sold in. I'd be willing to pay $60-$70 for a good one, but $100 is just too much. You're paying a ton, and not getting anything in return for the money spent.
And 3rd party controllers? They're usually half that price, are offer products just as good as what we're seeing from the MFi contingent.
They could charge more, and I could see some people buying a nice, expensive controller, but it wouldn't be massively successful. For the iPad to offer a console quality gaming experience, which it has the hardware to do, Apple would have to find a way to get controllers into the hands as many as possible. Once that happens, more developers would take the time out to make games that can support them. This happens by finding the happy medium, which in this case would be offering a good quality controller at the right price.
And like I said previously, I could justify spending more on a laptop or tablet, because I do a lot with both of them. A game controller? I'm just gonna play games with it. What matters isn't so much the materials its made out of so much as the comfort and responsiveness. Both of which can be offered for a reasonable amount.
My honest opinion is that Apple is being Apple, and is charging too much for MFi licenses. In this situation, it would be their fault.
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I believe there are also patent issues here. I'm fairly sure that the PlayStation separation of the buttons is patented and Nintendo's classic "cross" direction pad I know is patented. Whatever Microsoft is doing with their direction pad on the XBox, it was all to avoid patent issues (I'm fairly certain), because it is currently crap. Try playing Mortal Kombat Komplete with a 360 controller....
$99 is just too much for these to ever be useful. A 2DS costs about that much. If you are already going to commit to a funky large controller for your iPhone that you will carry around, what would be the difference in that vs. carrying around a 2DS/3DS or PS Vita (except maybe the games that are available)?
I'm sorry, but how is Apple legally even allowed by US Law to do this?
Sure, by all means have an Official Controller
Also have an "Apple Approved" sticker that someone who gives their unit for Official Approval can earn and display on the box
But how can Apple legally be allowed to stop anyone making anything that works with a product that person has bought and owns.
Would be like Ford telling you what CD player you can use, or what item you can attach the the car.
Perhaps Apple can just rent out iPhones as they seem to think they still own them and should control them despite people working hard to buy and own the product.
What a weird situation to be in. Selling you something and then still wanting control over what you do with the item you own. Wow
Sure, by all means have an Official Controller
Also have an "Apple Approved" sticker that someone who gives their unit for Official Approval can earn and display on the box
But how can Apple legally be allowed to stop anyone making anything that works with a product that person has bought and owns.
Would be like Ford telling you what CD player you can use, or what item you can attach the the car.
Perhaps Apple can just rent out iPhones as they seem to think they still own them and should control them despite people working hard to buy and own the product.
What a weird situation to be in. Selling you something and then still wanting control over what you do with the item you own. Wow
There was, but the patent ran out last year. Now anyone can make Nintendo style cross shaped d-pads.
...and I think the new Xbox controller was the first to take advantage of it.
Why, exactly is Apple telling vendors what parts do use? Why do they care? The vendors know their products best, they don't need big brother Apple telling them how to put things together.
They might as well as put their own controller together with whatever $50 toggle switches or other parts they want. There will always be the foolish Apple faithful read to jump on it.
They might as well as put their own controller together with whatever $50 toggle switches or other parts they want. There will always be the foolish Apple faithful read to jump on it.
Only if the price hike in that switch is from $1 to $50. Otherwise I'm not sure why they can't buy and mold good plastic like the half dozen quality controllers for $50 that exist in this world.
They have a good margin, or don't know how to do business, because it does NOT cost $90 to make a controller like that.
It hasn't taken Apple 7 years because Apple has had better things to do. It has taken Logitech and friends this long to decide it was worth their time and money to invest in a new area.
Explain to me why I can buy a half dozen good controllers without quality issues for under $60, and really quality mice and keyboards for under $100, and the only sited component in the article, a switch, is what is making up the difference? Go ahead, tell me.
Oh, I know, it's because of this paragraph from the article:
Quality issues can also be chalked up in part to the rapid development of the first crop of MFi controllers. Apple introduced the API back in June, but developers and manufacturers had little time to get a controller out before the holiday season. One Logitech employee expressed disappointment over the quality of the controller and said that it was "put together in haste."
Officially, they can't. Anyone could make a controller for an iDevice and have it work perfectly out of the box without having to pay a single cent to Apple.
But if Apple changes something, and it ends up breaking these unlicensed controllers, they can't be held accountable.
I will not buy a game controller. Apple will not be rewarded with a license fee from my purchase.
You seem to be looking at the situation solely from a consumer perspective, but to really understand the situation you have to consider their perspective, not just your needs and budget as a consumer.
You're comparing console controllers which are produced in millions to third-party controllers that will probably only sell a couple thousands.
The economy of scale alone is a huge factor at play here, so I don't think the comparison is fair.
The problem is that there's a vicious circle:
- Manufacturers can't easily give these controllers a low price because there's not enough demand to justify a large production that would bring parts/manufacturing costs down.
- There's no demand because the prices of those controllers are high.
A problem console manufacturers are not having because they already have a huge user base, they know that they can produce them by millions and they will sell.
If the MFi license is so high that it's a significant factor as well, then the article should only say
"High Price of iOS 7 Game Controllers Due to Strict Apple Guidelines", with no reference to build quality.
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It's a license to put "MFi" on it. You can certainly make one without that sticker with whatever ICs you want. Hell, after this batch of MFi's, a non-certified model might be better quality.
For your car analogy, it would only matter if you wanted to put "recommended by Ford" on the CDp. I don't think Ford has such a system, so it's moot.
Then...
$40, and it won't sell even a 10th as many units as a 1st party console controller.
You have to break it down to the raw price a single controller costs to produce. I doubt very, very seriously there's more than $10 worth of materials in the standalone controllers. Counting cost of labor, packaging, and shipping, I'd say it costs about $25-$30 for them to roll one down the line and land it on store shelves. If they were to charge $60 for it, they've made a 200% return on their investment.
Now it's true that they're entering a market that's still new and relatively weak, but that means they should only produce enough controllers to supply potential demand, and price them so they make a healthy profit, but don't scare away potential customers. If they price it too high in an attempt to mitigate risk, then they're only assuring their own failure.
Since there aren't enough games on the iPad to justify a $100 controller, no one will buy one. If no one buys the $100 controllers, no one will make games that support them. The market dies. For it to succeed, someone involved in the process will have to take a risk.
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