# 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.
- Title: Apple may build its own iPhone game controllers · The Verge
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: apple, gaming, beats, iphone, rumors, technology, culture, may, build, own, game, controllers
- Source: The Verge — https://theverge.com/tech/994426/apple-iphone-game-controllers
- Author: Terrence O'Brien
- Published: 2026-09-13T18:30:16+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: apple, gaming, beats, iphone, rumors, technology, culture
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Apple appears ready to enter the game controller market, using Beats to hit a price point its own brand never would.