Skip to Content

Got a tip for us?Let us know

a. Send us an email
b. Anonymous form

Surge of iOS Game Controllers at E3 as Speculation Looks Towards Apple TV Gaming

Thursday June 12, 2014 11:50 pm PDT by Richard Padilla

TouchArcade has posted a roundup featuring a look at the surprising number of the new iOS gaming controllers shown off at this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) event in Los Angeles, California.

New products from gaming companies such as Mad Catz, Razer, SteelSeries, Hori, Signal, Phonejoy, and BigBen Interactive were all shown off at the event, with each company pushing various hardware styles and features to better cater to iOS users.

Mad Catz's C.T.R.L.i controller was described as TouchArcade's favorite of the various controllers shown. It features a full-sized design with console-style controls including face buttons, analog sticks, shoulder bumpers and triggers.

Watch on YouTube

The controller can connect to any iOS 7 device through Bluetooth functionality, and also includes an optional clip for attaching an iPhone. Other controllers like BigBen Interactive's GamePhone Controller Pro, Hori's MFi controller, Signal's RP-One, and Steelseries' Stratus XL also showed off similar full-sized designs.

Meanwhile, controllers like BigBen Interactive's GameGrip and PhoneJoy's MFi controller showed off a design that wraps around an iOS device similar to the MOGA Ace Power and the Logitech Powershell.

Watch on YouTube

Phonejoy's controller in particular contains the ability to fully collapse while not in use, while BigBen's GameGrip can wrap around an iPad mini and even a full-sized iPad. Razer also demoed its Junglecat controller, which contains a sliding mechanism with face buttons and a directional pad.

The introduction of all these new iOS controllers comes as rumors surrounding the next-generation Apple TV have ramped up, with some of that speculation focusing on the device's gaming capabilities. To this point, some have speculated that Apple could utilize iOS gaming controllers, a set-top box, and an App Store ecosystem to become a major force in the console gaming industry. Original Xbox engineer Nat Brown and Steam founder Gabe Newell shared sentiments that Apple could take the lead in the games console market with such a system.

Iconfactory software engineer Sean Heber (via Daring Fireball) recently wrote a blog post on how Apple could use its new Metal and AirPlay peer-to-peer technologies introduced in iOS 8 to provide a new console gaming experience with the Apple TV and iOS gaming controllers. He explains that Apple could ultimately allow users to use their iOS devices as controllers with minimal input lag, as games would be playable on both the Apple TV and iOS devices:

The key difference is where the AirPlay extension app actually executes - the AirPlay extension app will be automatically uploaded to whatever AppleTV you are currently AirPlaying with and will run directly on the AppleTV natively instead. This means no video streaming lag and minimal controller lag. Your iPhone would then turn into a generic game controller with onscreen controls or, if you have a physical shell controller attached to your iPhone, it activates that instead.

...You can play without needing to purchase the game on that particular AppleTV, without needing to sign in with your iCloud account to access your purchases, without needing to get their wifi password, or indeed without there even needing to be a wifi network to join in the first place. All without any hassle. When you go home, you take the game and any earned progress along with you in your pocket.

In addition to gaming, Apple's next-generation Apple may also feature cable-box capabilities and perhaps a streaming TV service through a partnership with Comcast. However, Apple's iTunes Chief Eddy Cue said recently that Apple is continuing to work on a way to improve the television experience, but a fix is "complicated."

Related Roundup: Apple TV

Tag: Daring Fireball

Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)

Related Forums: Apple TV and Home Theater, iOS 8

Popular Stories

Apple TV 4K HomeView HomePod Mini tweaked

New Apple TV 4K, HomeView, and HomePod Mini: 16 Details Just Leaked

Sunday October 11, 2026 12:56 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

Just two days before Apple's "Welcome home" experience in New York, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has leaked several details about the new products set to be unveiled, including an all-new smart home hub, a HomePod mini 2, and a new Apple TV 4K. Here is an all-in-one summary of the details shared by Gurman:Apple's home hub with a touch-enabled display will be named HomeView, seemingly confirming a ...

• 194 comments

Apple TV 4K 4th Generation Top View5

New Apple TV 4K Announced With A19 Chip, Updated Siri Remote, More

Tuesday October 13, 2026 6:08 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple today announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, with key features including an A19 chip, Siri AI support, an updated Siri Remote that has Find My support with Precision Finding, built in far-field microphones, support for surround sound with four HomePods in front and rear pairs, and more. The A19 chip in the new Apple TV 4K delivers up to 50% faster CPU performance and up to twice...

• 678 comments

iPad mini 7 Review Thumb 1 sans text

Apple Expected to Release New Products on Next Four Fridays

Sunday October 18, 2026 11:01 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple likely plans to release MacBook Pro models with OLED displays, 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac models with M6 chips, and/or an iPad mini 8 with an OLED display on Friday, November 6, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The devices are expected to be announced on Tuesday, October 27 or Wednesday, October 28. If this timeframe proves to be accurate, then Apple will be releasing new...

• 77 comments

Top Rated Comments

162 months ago

until the get Fully functional PC/Console games on to AppleTV or iOS there isn't going to be much competition

sure iOS+Android competes with the nintendos and sonys mobile game industry

but they aren't touching the console and pc market till they can handle those type of games.

i have no intention to play iOS games on apple tv, possible tell tale games like walking dead or wolf among us, and couple arcade games but besides that not much. might be good enough for the casual/social gamer.

Well, they probably would concentrate on the casual side. But did you see the Metal demos at WWDC? The A7 chip inside every current iPhone and iPad is capable of incredibly impressive effects right now. The iPad Air is already rendering at greater than HD resolution at 60 fps. Then, consider that we just started a new generation of consoles that last what, about 7 years? Imagine what the A8, A9...A??? chips will do. The capabilities are likely to surpass what current XBOX/PS4/Wii U consoles are capable of, long before the next generation of console comes out. Also, Apple would have fewer power and thermal constraints than in a phone, they could get even more out of the same chips. And Apple can sell even a beefed-up Apple TV for perhaps half as much as consoles or less.

It's an incredible opportunity and if the boxes are out there, even the top games will come (although obviously not those produced exclusively for/by Nintendo/Sony/MS). Apple is on pace to sell 14M or more Apple TVs in 2014, even in its current bare-bones "hobby" incarnation, and that will be more if there's a serious gaming version, with the app store to support it.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

162 months ago

AppleTV > WiiU

Although mobile GPUs still have a bit to go before they reach thier console brethren
(and that gap gets significantly smaller each & every year) as of right now, SP & MP iGaming is absolutely viable.

Combined with a nice iController, AppleTV won't conquer Xbone or PS4,
but it absolutely will, rightly or wrongly, surpass the WiiU in console gaming revenue as well as
fulfilling the role of being an inexpensive yet very high quality (and heavily supported)
"training wheels" console for Junior & Suzy who just aren't quite ready to play with the big boys yet,
but they can not only play games, they can also watch "Frozen" for the 12 billionth time, too.

I, for one, welcome our new gaming Overlords!

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

162 months ago

In the WWDC keynote they kept saying "console-level gaming"

It would be cool for the next AppleTV to be a game console as well.

Apple already has everything to make it happen... hardware, an app store, developer support...

And now controllers :)

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

162 months ago

Then, consider that we just started a new generation of consoles that last what, about 7 years?

Actually, they're forecasting ten+ years for this gen.
Deminishing returns dictates this because
there really isn't that much further to go until the Carmack Singularity is hit.

Nobody will want to by a console that is only better by an even smaller jump than the one from PS 3 to PS 4,
so they're gonna let 'em linger around for a few years longer so buyers will be a little bit hungrier for a change.

Of course, during this decade of consoles standing rock still,
mobile GPUs will eventually catch up to and then surpass this current gen's offerings.

And yes, you're also right about the sheer number (and capability) of AppleTVs attracting console devs.
Except, like you say, "Destiny" & "The Last Of Us".
And "Mario" too, right? Nope. The writing's on the wall for Nintendo.
By the time console/iPad parity is reached, they will already be a major presence in the App Store.
And Android too, right? Nope again. Nintendo will avoid the piracy-saturated Android OS like the plague it is.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

162 months ago

As much as Apple loved saying "console level gaming", I highly doubt the ATV will reach that standard running on an ARM chip and using a phone with a 3rd party game controller as a controller.

I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but I'm somewhat skeptical.

At this point i think Apple really has 2 options for the TV. Crunch it's price down to compete with the Chromecast or give it a serious app store and processor upgrade to compete with the Kindle Fire TV And Sony Playstation TV while keeping the same price point.

If they take the second approach a storage bump or microSD card slot would be essential too.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

162 months ago

As much as Apple loved saying "console level gaming", I highly doubt the ATV will reach that standard running on an ARM chip and using a phone with a 3rd party game controller as a controller.

I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but I'm somewhat skeptical.

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Read All Comments

Latest Stories

'Pluribus' Season 2 Reportedly Starts Production Today

iPhone 18 Pro Sales Surge in China, Offsetting Decline in U.S. and Japan

HomeView Software 27.2: Wallpapers, Control Center, and More

Apple Alerts Stores to iPhone Duo's Display Cracking Issue

iOS 27.3 Will Enable These Apple Intelligence Features in China

Apple Says iOS 27.3 Beta Coming Next Week

Apple's Flash Storage Suppliers Are Finally 'Getting Their Revenge'

14 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 27.2

iPhone Duo Review: One Week Later

Samsung Mocks iPhone Duo Display Cracks in New Ad Campaign

The MacRumors Show: OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Mini 8, and More

MacBook Pro With Touch Display: 15 More Details Revealed

Russia Places Apple on State Surveillance Registry

Halloween Weekend Brings Discounts on Apple Accessories and Pre-Orders

Apple Has Released More Than 25 New Products in the Past Two Months

Local Code Launches as Free, Private AI Assistant Tool for Mac

Apple Acquires Ascend.io

HomePod Mini 2 Launches Today: All the New Features

AirTag 2 4-Pack Drops to New Low Price of $69.99

Rian Johnson's iPhone Camera App Goes Viral

Where Did All the iPhone Duos Go? Mostly to Apple's Stores

Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Ship 1.5M Units in 2027

New Apple TV 4K and iPad Mini: RAM Amounts Revealed

Apple Executive Comments on New iPad Mini Lacking 120Hz Display

Here's a Hands-On Look at HomePod Mini 2's New Two-Tone Colors

Apple Lowers App Store Fees in Taiwan Starting October 31

HomeView Pre-Order Returns to $289.99 on Amazon

Apple Avoids Showing Pinched Fingers on iPad Mini Page in South Korea

Old 'Popcorn Time' App Left Hundreds of Thousands of Macs at Risk

You Can Turn Off the New MacBook Pro's Touchscreen Functionality

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors