GoKawiilis the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.
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Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is developing two game controllers for the iPhone and will likely sell them under the Beats brand. Rumors that Apple might enter the game controller business have circulated for some time. But last week, MacRumors reported finding two references in macOS 26.7’s code to two game controllers identified as first-party devices.
Despite the code being found in macOS, not iOS, Gurman says the controllers are designed for iPhones. Additionally, he says that it is Beats executives leading the charge on this product. Apple sometimes uses its subsidiary brand to experiment with new product categories and compete at lower price points without sullying its more premium Apple lineup. As Gurman notes:
For example, Beats now sells a range of iPhone cases and USB-C cables that don’t necessarily fit Apple’s usual approach to design. A controller makes sense in that context. To reach a broad audience, it has to be relatively affordable, which means avoiding some of the more expensive materials and finishes typically associated with Apple products. The culture and lifestyle around gaming controllers also could fit naturally under the Beats umbrella.