From The Verge · Terrence O'Brien · · 1m 20s
Apple may build its own iPhone game controllers
Two first-party controllers are in the works, and Beats looks like the brand that will sell them.
In brief
Two first-party controllers are in the works, and Beats looks like the brand that will sell them. Apple appears ready to enter the game controller market, using Beats to hit a price point its own brand never would. Originally reported by The Verge.
Two controllers in development
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple is building two game controllers for the iPhone, the first time the company would sell gamepads of its own.
The rumor finally has evidence
Talk of Apple making a controller has floated around for years. Last week MacRumors found code in macOS 26.7 referencing two gamepads flagged as first-party devices.
Found in macOS, meant for iPhone
The references turned up in Mac code, not iOS. Gurman says the hardware is still designed for the iPhone.
Beats is running the project
Gurman says Beats executives are leading the work, so the controllers would likely ship under the Beats name rather than Apple's.
Beats is the cheap lane
Apple uses Beats to test new categories and hit lower prices without touching its premium line. Beats already sells iPhone cases and USB-C cables that ignore Apple's design rules.
“Beats now sells a range of iPhone cases and USB-C cables that don't necessarily fit Apple's usual approach to design.”
Price is the whole point
A controller has to be affordable to reach a wide audience, which rules out the materials and finishes Apple normally uses. Gaming culture also sits closer to Beats than to Apple.
“The culture and lifestyle around gaming controllers also could fit naturally under the Beats umbrella.”
The key point
Apple appears ready to enter the game controller market, using Beats to hit a price point its own brand never would.
