Apple is reportedly building its own game controllers for the iPhone. Bloomberg says the accessories have been in development for more than a year and will likely carry the Beats brand instead of Apple’s own name.
If you own an iPhone and already use a controller to play games, this could eventually give you a first-party option. It might also come cheaper than typical Apple gear, since Beats products usually cost less than the equivalent Apple-branded version.
What We Know So Far
The rumor started earlier this month, when code found buried in a test version of macOS revealed references to two unreleased devices, codenamed T6502 and T1057. The listings included details on a D-pad, dual thumbsticks, shoulder buttons, and Home and Menu controls. One of the two devices also includes support for motion controls, using an accelerometer and gyroscope, while the other doesn’t.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman later confirmed the project is real, writing in his newsletter that “Apple sees this as a growing market and wants in.” According to Gurman, Beats executives are leading the work rather than Apple’s own hardware teams. The goal is reportedly to compete with third-party controllers already sold through the Apple Store, including options from Backbone, Razer, and SteelSeries.
This isn’t the first sign Apple has been eyeing its own controller. The company previously filed a patent for a magnetic controller that snaps onto the iPhone like MagSafe, though that project never turned into a real product either.
Putting the Beats name on it instead of Apple’s own would fit a pattern. Beats already sells iPhone cases and charging cables that skip Apple’s usual premium pricing and design, giving Apple room to test a new product category without risking its main brand or pricing expectations.
No price or release date has been shared, and Apple hasn’t confirmed anything publicly. The code references were also pulled from the very next test version of macOS just days after they were spotted, so it’s still possible this project gets shelved before it ever reaches store shelves. For now, iPhone gamers will have to stick with the third-party options already on the market.
