The U.S Patent and Trademark Office and the International Bureau in Europe have granted Apple two patents related to its own game controllers. The tech giant offers an Apple Arcade, an ad-free and in-app purchases free gaming service with a growing catalog of over 200 games and it also supports Xbox Series X and S wireless controllers, and Sony PS5 DualSense wireless controller. The company’s next step to build its own game controllers seems like the logical next step in the gaming industry.
Apple explores detachable game controllers design
Two patents published on March 31 and April 10, describe two different styles of game controllers for iPhone and iPad: detachable joy-cons and folio with a gaming keyboard.
The first filing “Apple invents a variety of future Game Controllers to be magnetically attached to an iDevice & include smart foldable carrying cases” published by the U.S Patent and Trademark Office explains two controllers which will magnetically attach to the sides of an iPhone or iPad like Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons and a foldable.
Accessories that can improve a specific functionality of an electronic device, can readily attach to an electronic device, can be easy to use, and can have a small and efficient form factor. One example can provide a gaming accessory that can improve the game playing functionality of an electronic device, such as a phone, tablet, or other computing device. This gaming accessory can provide a physical interface for controlling game activities on the electronic device such that a screen of the electronic device remains at least largely unobstructed during game play.
The second patent titled “user interfaces associated with remote input devices” describes a foldable case or folio for iPhone with gaming controllers and an interface to show content or touch the keyboard. It is explained that an external game controller is designed to improve users’ gaming experience, reduce the burden on the processor and prevent battery drain.
There is a need for efficient interfaces for electronic devices that receive user inputs from remote input devices. In some implementations, an electronic device displays respective user interfaces associated with games in response to detecting that a remote input device has been connected to the electronic device. In some implementations, an electronic device displays a reduced user interface in response to detecting that a cover has covered a portion of the display of the electronic device. In some implementations, an electronic device displays a user interface via a display generation component of a remote input device.
It must be kept in mind that Apple files for several patents in a year and not every technology is developed.
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