Apple is reportedly working on iPhone game controllers
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is developing two game controllers for the iPhone, which will likely be released under its Beats subsidiary brand rather than the main Apple label. The move follows recent code discoveries pointing to first-party gaming hardware, and would mark Apple's formal entry into a peripheral category it has so far left to third-party makers.
The report builds on findings by MacRumors, which last week identified references to two first-party game controllers in the code for macOS 26.7, despite the products apparently being intended for iPhone use. Gurman notes that Beats executives are leading development, consistent with Apple's pattern of using the Beats brand to test new product categories at lower price points, as it has already done with iPhone cases and USB-C cables, allowing the controllers to be more affordable and to sit more naturally within gaming culture than a premium Apple-branded device.
- Apple reportedly developing two iPhone game controllers
- Likely to launch under the Beats brand
- Follows code references found in macOS 26.7
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Apple appears to be moving beyond its usual approach to accessories by developing physical game controllers for the iPhone itself, something it has traditionally left to outside manufacturers such as Sony, Microsoft or specialist gaming brands. The information comes from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, a well-regarded source on Apple's unannounced plans, and follows earlier clues spotted by the tech news site MacRumors in Apple's software code.
A key detail is the expected branding: rather than releasing the controllers under the main Apple name, the company is likely to use Beats, the headphone and audio brand it owns. Apple has used Beats before to launch cheaper, more casual versions of products, such as phone cases and charging cables, so this fits an established pattern rather than being a one-off decision.
The story matters because it would signal Apple taking gaming hardware more seriously as part of the iPhone ecosystem, potentially affecting existing third-party controller makers and giving mobile gaming on Apple devices a more official, purpose-built accessory. As with all unreleased Apple products, nothing is confirmed until the company makes an official announcement.