GoKawiilApple developing Beats-branded gaming controllers for iPhone, Gurman reports
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has spent over a year developing gaming controllers for iPhone, but plans to release them under its Beats brand rather than the Apple label. Code referencing two devices, codenamed T6502 and T1057, was recently found in a macOS release candidate, showing components like dual thumbsticks, shoulder buttons and D-pads. Beats executives are reportedly leading the design and engineering of these controllers.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Using the Beats name lets Apple test new hardware categories without tying them directly to its premium image, potentially allowing for cheaper materials and broader appeal to gaming and youth culture audiences. It also signals Apple's growing interest in gaming accessories, an area currently dominated by third-party makers like Backbone and SteelSeries that Apple already sells through its own store.
- Apple has been developing iPhone gaming controllers for over a year.
- The devices may launch under the Beats brand instead of Apple's own name.
- No release date has been confirmed for the controllers.
Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller — While we wait to see if Apple ships a Beats-branded controller, the Backbone One is the iPhone gamepad Apple already stocks in its own store. It clamps around your phone with real thumbsticks, shoulder buttons and a D-pad, turning your iPhone into a handheld console for Apple Arcade, streaming and native games.
See Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: engadget.com — Jackson Chen, 2026-09-13
Published there as: “Apple's rumored gaming controller for iPhone could feature Beats branding”
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