Apple’s current plans in the video game market are related to the company’s Arcade subscription service, which was introduced in 2019 and did not delight users too much. Hardware-wise, Apple’s phones, and tablets have great potential for running more demanding games, but the touch screen is not good enough to give users complete enjoyment and a superior gaming experience.
Apple is also aware of that, so they are thinking about ways in which they could change or improve that experience, and the patents they applied for have revealed the direction of their thinking. According to them, Apple is considering 3 types of controllers that could connect to their products and manage games through them.
The first model,
whose sketches have been released, are similar to the classic controllers used for the PlayStation and Xbox and would connect to phones and tablets via Bluetooth. Also, such a controller would be compatible with Apple TV, as well as with Macs, so that it could be used to control games on computers.
The second type of controller
seems much more interesting for users of Apple phones and is reminiscent of Nintendo controllers for the Switch. With the help of magnets, two controllers will be able to connect to the frames of phones or tablets and then, as on the Switch, be used in games.
The third type of controller,
whose patent has been applied for, is placed in a case and when not used with it, the screen can be covered – similar to Apple’s Magic keyboard, except that instead of the keyboard there are game control controls. Also, the patent shows how such a case could be used as a secondary screen on which software keys could be programmed. Apple is only thinking about this type of controller for the iPhone.
The application of patents, of course, does not necessarily mean that Apple will start their realization and that the company will really present all three or only one or two mentioned controllers. But, as there are some predictions that the gaming market could be worth as much as 260 billion dollars by 2025, it is not difficult to conclude that Tim Cook’s company also wants a part of that cake.
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